Commit Alert! Rutgers Football gets verbal pledge from Bryan Felter

The Rutgers football coaching staff is busy preparing for the season opener, but landed another commit in the 2020 recruiting class. The Scarlet Knights secured a verbal commitment from Bryan Felter of Bergen Catholic on Thursday evening:

Rutgers is one of two power five conference schools (Boston College being the other, West Virginia possibly a 3rd) to offer Bryan per 247sports, though National Champion Clemson and Penn State were also showing strong interest. At least 6’2 ¹⁄₂” and 300 pounds, Felter is a solid three-star prospect, the 21st best in New Jersey and 56th best offensive guard nationally for the 2020 class according to the 247 composite which includes other sources.

While studying his film, it’s obvious why Bryan has been named All-State twice already with a year to play. He’s very polished for a left tackle at the high school level and knows how to follow through on his blocks better than I have seen on film for any Rutgers offensive lineman commit in at least a decade. He has excellent hand technique and knows how to use his frame to his advantage when opponents send smaller quicker players in his direction. He has tremendous punch to deliver an initial blow immediately following the snap. At times on screens or other plays where he is pulling, Bryan effectively calls out who he intends on blocking and the defender has no chance to avoid it. That skill is something that always amazed me at the NFL level and he’s doing it in high school (albeit against high school players). He’ll have the best chance to play of any true freshman on the banks since Kaleb Johnson, though that would be a stretch since most 18 year olds aren’t strong enough.

The ONLY reason Felter’s recruiting ranking is not higher is simply because he is projected at interior offensive line, even if a road grader. Players who will begin at tackle with the option of shifting inside get a lot more love from scouts. I find this to be a fallacy in Felter’s assessment because he is already somewhere between 300 and 315 pounds depending on who you ask. Barring injury, he could actually grow into his body without putting on weight and be a little more nimble in a year or two. The biggest risk is that he gets injured because he is so big already.

Felter is at worst an above average three-star prospect who will compete hard in practice and provide depth on the offensive line for three or four years like Caleb Ruch did in his career. Bryan most likely will be able to start getting meaningful snaps as a redshirt sophomore like Antwan Lowery. Best case Felter is in the two-deep as soon as his second training camp starts and becomes a four-year starter like Dorian Miller.

This is a huge get. I like the pickup because Rutgers needs to get offensive linemen every year and adding a two-time all state selection with a year to play is just what the doctor ordered. They need to do better in securing All-State selections, especially from the Big North. It’s also a good sign that tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile and quarterback Johnny Langan were able to use their personal relationships to secure the highest rated member of the 2020 class thus far. Most importantly, Felter brings some confidence and nastiness that Rutgers has struggled to find in their linemen over the last few years.

Felter is the first offensive lineman in this class. The ten total verbal commits thus far each have a 3-star rating in the latest 247 composite rankings.

Check out some highlights:

Welcome to the banks Bryan!