Rutgers football recruiting update for the week of 9/7

Committed Players

Tyler Kroft is the 19th best prospect in Pennsylvania by one list. Oh look, here's the definitive Kroft article.

Chevelle Buie's Manatee team traveled up to Pittsburgh to blow out Woodland Hills 35-7. The early comments there aren't impressive, although he managed to find the endzone.

This Ledger video mentions Andrew Campolattano's prowess as a wrestler, and also that Daryl Stephenson is an excellent kicker.

Quentin Gause has a target on his back as he plays running back for Bishop Kearney.

Here's a Q&A with Kevin Snyder.

Mike Bimonte's penchant for come from behind rallies make him the "complete package".

Uncommitted Players

On one hand, damn it. On the other, you wonder if this news will scare away other teams from NJ OL Josue Matias.

The Soaring Eagles, who were a disappointing 3-7 a year ago, took a huge hit last week, when it was learned that standout two-way tackle Josue Matias, earmarked for a sure-fire NCAA Division I big-time scholarship, suffered a torn patella tendon in his knee. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Matias, ranked among the top 25 offensive linemen in the nation and the No. 6 college prospect in New Jersey, will require surgery on that knee and will be lost for the season.

Does this Florida writer know something that Rutgers fans don't about NY DE Ishaq Williams (who's also featured in this NY Post piece)?

The feeling is that Rutgers holds the advantage because of how close it is to his home. He’s been there multiple times in the last year.

It's true that he hasn't been saying anything, but as much as Rutgers needs DEs, don't hold your breath. Another shaky report is this blurb about NJ RB Savon Huggins, if you give any credence to what Tom Luicci said last week on Rivals Radio.

Is Rutgers in the recruiting hunt for Savon Huggins?

Very much so, although Pittsburgh, in many quarters, is considered the front-runner

Speaking of that team with the world's worst defensive back coach, their staff is usually very loose-lipped with leaking to the media. Curmudgeon Paul Zeise thinks they're in the top two or three for NJ OL Keith Lumpkin. As long as we're talking St. Peter's Prep, S Sheldon Royster plans to take his visits later in the year.

The Ledger ranks the state's top QBs (with Nova 1, Bimonte 3, and McEvoy 4). Miles Shuler-Foster is third, and that article lists these favorites.

He has been contacted by 23 colleges and has narrowed his list to Notre Dame, Nebraska, Rutgers, Florida, Northwestern, Pitt and Michigan.

The top three RBs are Huggins, Davis, and Martin. They will have more HS coverage in the coming days.

NJ QB Tanner McEvoy was apparently watching South Carolina on television last Thursday. NJ WR Damiere Byrd and Kaiwan Lewis were mentioned too.

What's with this Chesapeake Bowl, and why is NJ TE Jack Tabb playing in that instead of the NJ vs. the NE game? Well, actually players can play in two all-star games IIRC, but still. One paragraph in that article has an update of substance.

Here's a tamper-riffic interview with 2012 NJ LB Kaiwan Lewis.

PA OG Brandon Clemons is naming six finalists.

Clemons has narrowed his choices to Pitt, Boston College, Maryland, UConn, Rutgers and South Carolina.

So much for not narrowing down his list.

Probable future commit FL CB Jonathan Aiken missed Chaminade's opener. Rutgers has offered 2012 FL WR Fred McRae and 2012 FL OL John Theus. FL ATH Kevin Grooms isn't saying much.

Recruiting rankings are biased in favor of the southeast.

Finally, some forward thinking is helping the local talent pool (including 2012 NY S Wayne Morgan).

Many city coaches credit the NFL’s High School Development Program, which started in 2001, for turning things around. It’s almost the inner-city equivalent of spring football — running from May through August — with teaching from professional coaches and athletes.

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.

Ronald "Duke" Baines, Dexter Bridge, Steward Butler, Lorenzo Fisher, Keith Foster, Bryan Jollie, Corey Majors, Dorian Miller/Delon Stephenson,and Kyle Wiggins.