Commit Alert: NJ DB Ihmir Smith-Marsette Pledges To Rutgers Football

Rutgers football had a busy weekend, as they hosted many recruits on official visits. Today there was good news, as Ihmir Smith-Marsette, a defensive back from Weequahic (Newark), announced his commitment to the program.

Marsette is part of the 2017 recruiting class and was offered by Rutgers back in August. He brings with him elite speed and is a track athlete as well, specializing in the hurdles at both 110 meters and 400 meters. He ran the 110 meter hurdles in 13.97 seconds back in June, according to Todderick Hunt of NJ Advance Media. On a side note, Hunt also mentions that he is related to Rutgers alumna Queen Latifah, as his grandfather’s brother is her father.

As Ash starts looks to rebuild the roster, upgrading the speed of the team is a major priority. Adding Marsette, who wasn’t highly rated, is an example of a player Ash can mold and develop in the future. At 6’1” he has the size, but needs to bulk up his 155 pound frame as well. According to 247 Sports, he received an offer from Boston College this past week. It was too little, too late and Ihmir committed to Ash at the end of his official visit.

Rutgers now stands with 19 recruits that are committed to their 2017 class, which 247 Sports ranks today as 7th best in the Big Ten. They rank the Rutgers class as having three 4-star players and fifteen 3-star players. Adding Marsette doesn’t have much impact on the rankings, but his potential and top speed make him an intriguing player for Ash and the staff to develop. Click here for Ihmir’s junior year highlights and for his senior year highlights click here.

Update: Ihmir was upgraded to a 3-star recruit by 247 Sports.

Welcome to the banks, Ihmir!