:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/35762058/20120901_lbm_ac9_275.0.jpg)
6'6" 325 lb. Cardinal O'Hara (Springfield, PA) Offensive Guard and overalls aficionado Ted Field became the first commit in Rutgers Class of 2016. You may remember Cardinal O'Hara as the high school from which former Knight QB Tom Savage graduated.
New PA addition to the 2016 F.A.M.I.L.Y.!! #RFootball #RFamily #CHOPNation #2016 CHOP!
— Kyle Flood (@KyleFloodRU) July 18, 2014
It's a honor to be the first of the 2016 class to commit to play football for Rutgers @KyleFloodRU #CHOPNation pic.twitter.com/abWHC4XYuc
— Ted Field (@TedField73) July 18, 2014
Field has frequently tweeted positive messages about the Scarlet Knights, so it is not surprising that he became the first commit of the rising junior class. Rutgers offered him on an unofficial visit in April, and he has been on campus numerous times since. This is a great pickup for Kyle Flood and the Knights, and Field has the potential to be a vocal leader in the next recruiting class.
Here he is shoulder to shoulder with former Knight and current Niner Anthony Davis. I mentioned this kid was big, right?
Ran into my boy @AnthonyDavis76 today. @KyleFloodRU @RFootball #CHOPNation pic.twitter.com/YXUSE7pzOZ
— Ted Field (@TedField73) June 21, 2014
More love for Rutgers pre-commitment:
Looking forward to visit F.A.M.I.L.Y. in New Brunswick next month #CHOPNation @RU_KCald @KyleFloodRU @RFootball
— Ted Field (@TedField73) May 15, 2014
Can't wait to see my F.A.M.I.L.Y. @KyleFloodRU @RU_KCald #CHOPNation #RUistheplacetobe pic.twitter.com/2eBCMkUE6X
— Ted Field (@TedField73) July 14, 2014
Field has offers from Temple and UMass, but he most certainly would (and will) continue to draw interest from other schools as his junior season gets underway. Field fits the mold for the types of O-linemen Rutgers has been recruiting under first year OL Coach Mitch Browning: he is big (like, B1G big), has good fundamentals, and plays with a serious mean streak, driving his adversary out of the play or into the ground, and then popping up looking for somebody else to hit.
Another thing he shares with OL commit Zach Venesky: a fighting background. Field is a serious student of martial arts. Trust me, we want Field in RFamily, rather than working against us and trying to blow up our defensive players!
Hard martial arts training after a long day @KyleFloodRU @RU_KCald #CHOPNation #hardwork pic.twitter.com/gnRJltMZxU
— Ted Field (@TedField73) June 19, 2014
Just for good measure, here he is lifting more weight than you can.
5th set of 5 reps 1500lb leg press http://t.co/hihiijzWzU @KyleFloodRU @RU_KCald #CHOPNation #HARDWORK
— Ted Field (@TedField73) June 18, 2014
In the interior of the line, Field is a mauler, and should be able to open big holes for running backs to pop through. I love this pickup, and this is a great momentum commit for Coach Flood and the Knights. Congratulations and welcome to the Banks Ted!
*** UPDATE
Field spoke to Todderick Hunt earlier today, and had some terrific things to say. Check out Todderick's full article here.
"It's a real honor (to be first) and I hope to kick-start the class and help be the best class in the Big Ten and in the nation . . . Anyone who wants to be a part of the toughest team in America should follow."
"I have a lot of anger when I play . . . I have hostility towards all my opposition including neighboring Big Ten schools."
"I believe they want me at either offensive guard or offensive tackle," he said. "But it doesn't matter either way because I'm gonna smash the person in front of me."
Awesome.