3-Star OL C.J. Hanson Commits To Rutgers Football

Head coach Chris Ash received good news this week, as 3-star offensive lineman C.J. Hanson announced his commitment to the program on Wednesday morning.

The 6’5”, 285 pound offensive guard from St. John’s Vianney in Holmdel, New Jersey held almost two dozen offers per 247 Sports, including Syracuse, Virginia, Temple, UConn, and several MAC schools. Rutgers offered Hanson back in March and offensive line coach A.J. Blazek was key in his recruitment. Hanson will be the third offensive lineman on the team from St. John’s Vianney, joining Micah Clarke and Jamaal Beaty. He is ranked the 34th best prospect in New Jersey for the class of 2019 per 247 Sports.

Hanson will add toughness and physical play to the Rutgers line in the years to come. He plays with an edge and has good feet. He also is a goalie in lacrosse at the high school level, showing he is athletic, competitive and willing to put himself in big spots. While Hanson needs some fine tuning from a technique perspective, he has the physical tools to compete early on at Rutgers. He should benefit greatly from the tutelage of Blazek and become even more physically imposing in training under Kenny Parker.

While Ash and the staff have a lot of work to do on the recruiting trail, this was a solid pickup for Rutgers and adds another talented, local player to the class of 2019. There are seven recruits currently committed in this cycle so far and six are from New Jersey. It’s disappointing there will unlikely be any top ten rated players in the state committing to Rutgers in this class, after Ash landed three recruits rated that high in the two previous classes. However, the staff now have five players ranked between 15 and 35 in New Jersey per 247 Sports. The current class is ranked last in the Big Ten as of now and there is a gaping hole at the defensive line position, but a lot can change between now and signing day. Better results on the field this fall will go a long way towards changing perception of where this program is headed. The schedule is set up well for Rutgers to prove progress is happening in the first two months of the season. Hanson is another example of a solid player with potential that can develop into a key contributor for the program down the road and is a local kid who most importantly, wants to be at Rutgers.

UPDATE: On Wednesday afternoon, Rutgers picked up their second commitment of the day in 3-star safety Zukudo Igwenagu, the top rated player in Massachusetts. Soon after, a third, 3-Star tight end Dylan Deveney committed as well.

Hanson’s junior season highlights are here: