Committed Players
Miles Shuler is going to spend a lot of time on Rt. 18 over the next few years. Those ships are going to start going fast. Wish the next few weeks weren't a dead period...
Scarlet Nation had a free feature on DT Ken Kirksey last week.
Not like it's much of a surprise, but Myles Jackson will be a DE at Rutgers. It's always good to bring in top students too.
Uncommitted Players
Ok, my last word on Jeff Hafley is that he'll earn his pay with the junior class at Don Bosco. There's not really any good evidence that Bosco is anti-Rutgers, but hopefully RU can sign players like Leonte Carroo and Darius Hamilton next year. As far as 2011 goes, there's another Ironman left to swing in Gary Nova.
"Jeff did a great job recruiting at Pittsburgh and he’s a great guy, but in terms of what he would do for me, he wouldn’t coach me at all," Nova said of the secondary coach. "The school I am going to pick, it’s going to be based on the head coach, quarterback coach and the offensive coordinator."
The Pitt decommits keep rolling in, with Bill Belton and Jameel Poteat also making it official. Belton will probably go to PSU, but it wouldn't be a huge surprise if Poteat stayed with Pitt over Cincy. Kyshoen Jarrett (no RU offer) switched to VT. It doesn't sound like RU is getting involved with Marquise Wright. Non-offeree Quinton Alston is probably staying. Max Issaka is undecided for now. Oh yeah, TE Ryan Malleck isn't going to Maryland either. Fun, fun...
NJ TE Jack Tabb is ready to decide.
"It’ll be between Michigan, North Carolina, Iowa, Arkansas and Rutgers, if Miami isn’t involved," said Tabb, who gave his thoughts on Rutgers, considering he has not planned an official visit there. "I’ve been up there multiple times and I know what it’s about, so I’ll go on the official if I do commit."
NJ OL Josue Matias visited FSU last weekend. Miami is trying to make a run at Matias, but he may or may not visit them. They are in his top five though replacing Wisconsin.
The Star-Ledger's 2010 All-State team is out, naming NJ ATH Tanner McEvoy their Offensive Player of the Year. Bam Reddish received similar honors from the NY Post.
Mike Quick from MSG Network is a fan of St. Peter's Prep this year.
"There was no debate for Savon Huggins," Quick added. "I've done this for 23 years and it is hard to pick a better athlete, and his buddy, Sheldon Royster, is right up there with him."
It's probably too early to worry about '12 ATH Delon Stephenson.
"Well that’s where I wanted to go since last year," said Stephenson. "But I don’t know anymore since they had a bad year. If they play better next year I might go there."
It sure would be fun to team him with Devon Fuller though. Doesn't it seem like there are a ton of in-state receiving prospects again in 2012? Speaking of which, '12 NJ LB Quanzell Lambert is really blowing up. Also, the recruiting sites said another '12 offer went out last week to Franklin RB Kye Morgan.
This article on '12 PA OL J.J. Denman doesn't really say anything.
MD OL Donovan Smith dropped RU and is down to three finalists.
Rutgers is getting visits from FL DE/LB Ramik Wilson and FL WR Andre Davis. FL WR Boe Brand has RU as a finalist. FL S Davonte Allen says he has an offer but isn't interested.
Random good news: Steve Addazio is leaving Florida to coach the Texas OL. He had always been good to mine a few Northeast prospects every year. UT almost always fills its classes in-state. Chris Simms is the big exception, but quarterbacks always are.
12/20 to 1/3 is officially a recruiting dead period, so don't look for any big news over the holidays most likely.
Why is it a bad idea to play football in the SEC? There's the academics, but also widespread oversigning is even worse.
JUCO DT Gilbert Pena signed with Ole Miss. JUCO OL Dan Heiar signed with Iowa. NY ATH Ashton Broyld committed to Syracuse (great get for them if he qualifies). FL CB Nick Waisome switched from UF to FSU, which is suddenly a recruiting monster again. FL ATH Teddy Bridgewater committed to Louisville, which is stunning considering that his high school is a Miami pipeline. Now Golden will definitely go hard after Gary Nova (and UNC commit Marquise Williams)... BTW, they just took a big DT from Rahway (former Temple verbal) who prepped for a year.
Watchlist: This is a section of this site's weekly recruiting posts featuring links to players that Rutgers may or may not be showing interest in, but has not yet offered.
Ryan Davies, Giovani Francois, Khambrel Garland, Syd Holt, Dillon Lucas, and Brendan Nosovitch.