If the Rutgers Scarlet Knights are going to finally secure a winning record in Year 4 of Greg Schiano’s tenure, they’ll need help from their 2024 NFL Draft group to get it done. Here’s the core that Rutgers will be working with in 2023.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights NFL Draft Prospects
Relative to other schools, Rutgers actually experienced very little negative turnover in the 2023 offseason. Their biggest losses came in the defensive secondary, where Christian Izien, Avery Young, and sixth-round pick Christian Braswell all moved on to the NFL. But aside from that group, the losses were slim.
Rutgers returns its incumbent leading passer in Gavin Wimsatt, as well as several starting offensive linemen, and they’ve added two dynamic pass-catching threats via the transfer portal as well. On defense, most of the Scarlet Knights’ front seven remains intact, and they have Max Melton returning as a core piece in the DB room, with several others joining him.
Kyle Monangai, RB
Isiah Pacheco was a rarity with his post-draft production in Round 7. Rutgers likely doesn’t have anyone like him in the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, but Kyle Monangai is worth keeping tabs on as a deep sleeper.
At 5’9″ and 210 pounds, Monangai brings high-level density and rushing leverage as two of his greatest weapons. He also channels good burst upfield. Most noticeable, however, is his willingness to lower his shoulder in contact situations.
Naseim Brantley, WR
Rutgers’ receiving corps should get a boost from the arrival of Western Illinois WR transfer Naseim Brantley. The 6’4″, 200-pound Brantley played at Sacred Heart before 2022 but joined the Catamounts for a career-best season this past cycle.
In 2022, Brantley hauled in 53 catches for 893 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s a big-play threat with exceptional body control, who has an extremely reliable feel for positioning in tight situations.
JaQuae Jackson, WR
Along with Brantley, Rutgers also added Division II transfer JaQuae Jackson from California University of Pennsylvania.
Jackson was a prolific producer at his previous level of play. In 2022, he rocketed forward with 77 catches for 1,178 yards and 13 touchdowns in just 11 games. He went over the 100-yard mark six different times and scored more than once in four different weeks. Now a sixth-year player, the 6’3″, 175-pound Jackson will aim to make his mark with the Scarlet Knights.
Johnny Langan, TE
Entering his sixth year, Johnny Langan has gradually progressed from a dual-threat quarterback to a designed rushing threat and now to a hyper-versatile tight end. He had 62 total touches for 435 yards and two touchdowns in 2022, and returns as one of the more important pieces to the Rutgers offense.
Though he’s not elite in any one area as a prospect, the 6’3″, 240-pound Langan can run routes, block in space, and take designed opportunities for RAC yards.
Hollin Pierce, OT
Though he’s set to play left tackle in 2023 out of necessity, Hollin Pierce was Rutgers’ starting right tackle in 2022. That’s probably where he projects best at the next level, given that he’s a bit stiff and lumbering at 6’8″, 340 pounds.
But for what he lacks in dynamic athleticism, Pierce compensates a bit with a good sense of timing on his hip turns and extensions. At the very least, he could be an eventual swing tackle candidate in the PFA pool.
Curtis Dunlap Jr., G
The Scarlet Knights added Curtis Dunlap Jr. from Minnesota ahead of the 2022 season. Dunlap proceeded to start all 12 games at the right guard spot and returns to that spot in 2023.
As a prospect, Dunlap is likely a PFA at best. He still struggles with balance and is a middling athlete, but his massive 6’5″, 330-pound frame can be hard to move, and he has good proportional length.
Ireland Brown, C
Ireland Brown could end up filling out the back end of the draftable center group. Of Rutgers’ offensive linemen, he might be the most translatable prospect.
A former defensive tackle convert, Brown stands at 6’3″, 295 pounds, bringing great natural leverage with his frame. Beyond that, he’s a good functional athlete with solid foot speed and flexibility off the snap, and those tools could be the building blocks for an ascent in 2023.
Isaiah Iton, DT
The Scarlet Knights have several eligible interior defensive linemen, but the one who bears the most careful attention is Ole Miss transfer Isaiah Iton.
Standing around 6’3″, 300 pounds, Iton began his career at Northern Colorado. After a stint at the JUCO level, he then transferred to Ole Miss, where he registered 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a half-sack, and a pass deflection in two years of SEC play.
Wesley Bailey, EDGE
Redshirt junior Wesley Bailey gives Rutgers the best chance at a game-changing presence on the edge this year. In 2022, Bailey embarked on a career-best season, accruing 30 tackles, eight TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and two pass deflections.
At 6’5″, 250 pounds, Bailey is a long, lean defender with great energy and twitch off the line. While he’s still fleshing out his pass-rush arsenal, Bailey’s shown he can pry around blocks with bend and ankle flexion.
Aaron Lewis, EDGE
Rutgers has not just one but two talented edge rushers worth keeping in the vault as they seek more development in the 2024 NFL Draft cycle. Aaron Lewis isn’t much of a pass-rushing presence this far into his career, but at 6’5″, 250 pounds, he’s a visibly explosive athlete who gets off the line with a lot of heat. He can be an asset in pursuit with that closing burst and his length — as he showed with his eight TFLs in 2022.
Tyreem Powell, LB
On defense, one of Rutgers’ most intriguing potential 2024 NFL Draft prospects is linebacker Tyreem Powell. Powell still needs more refinement, both with his coverage instincts and his tackling technique, but at 6’5″, 240 pounds, he’s a rangy, explosive athlete with a lot of projected versatility. In 2022, he racked up 71 tackles, six TFLs, three sacks, and four pass deflections, providing a glimpse of his playmaking upside.
Deion Jennings, LB
Deion Jennings doesn’t have the high-level tools that Powell has, and that’s what dilutes from his projection. Nevertheless, Jennings is also worth watching, just by virtue of how productive he’s been. Jennings was Rutgers’ leading tackler in 2022 with 91 takedowns and also added 8.5 TFLs, a sack, and six deflections to his total.
Max Melton, CB
Max Melton has a good chance at being Rutgers’ top 2024 NFL Draft prospect. He was the team’s most productive cover man in 2022, with 33 tackles, two TFLs, two interceptions, and 10 pass deflections.
At 6’0″, 190 pounds, Melton’s lean, wiry frame serves him well in coverage. He has the coordination and ball skills to convert at the catch point, but he’s also a smart defender who can process route concepts quickly and use his sink and burst to traverse the field.
Eric Rogers, CB
The Scarlet Knights have a lot of interlocking pieces in their secondary, so it will be interesting to see how Northern Illinois transfer addition Eric Rogers files in.
Now a redshirt junior, Rogers is coming off a strong campaign with the Huskies, in which he flashed his playmaking ability with two interceptions and four pass breakups, to go along with 17 tackles. Rogers has great size and length at 6’2″, 185 pounds. Whether his athleticism translates in the Big Ten is the next test.
Robert Longerbeam, CB
At 5’11”, 170 pounds, Robert Longerbeam is woefully underweight as a potential NFL prospect, which complicates his projection a bit. But after his own productive 2022 campaign, he’s worth keeping an eye on.
Opposite Melton, Longerbeam did his part to secure two interceptions and six deflections. He can make plays in coverage with his proportional length and zone awareness, but getting stronger is a must.
Other Notable Names
- Mayan Ahanotu, DT
- Kyonte Hamilton, DT
- Mohamed Toure, LB
- Charles Amankwaa, CB
- Kessawn Abraham, DB
- Desmond Igbinosun, S
- Michael Dixon, S
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Schedule
- Week 1
BYE - Week 2
Sept. 3: vs. Northwestern Wildcats - Week 3
Sept. 9: vs. Temple Owls - Week 4
Sept. 16: vs. Virginia Tech Hokies - Week 5
Sept. 23: at Michigan Wolverines - Week 6
Sept. 30: vs. Wagner Seahawks - Week 7
Oct. 7: at Wisconsin Badgers - Week 8
Oct. 14: vs. Michigan State Spartans - Week 9
Oct. 21: at Indiana Hoosiers - Week 10
BYE - Week 11
Nov. 4: vs. Ohio State Buckeyes - Week 12
Nov. 11: at Iowa Hawkeyes - Week 13
Nov. 18: at Penn State Nittany Lions - Week 14
Nov. 25: vs. Maryland Terrapins - Week 15
BYE