Rutgers Adds Kicker To 2016 Recruiting Class

With lone scholarship kicker Kyle Federico set to graduate after the 2015 season, head coach Kyle Flood and co. added 2016 South Forsyth (Cumming, Ga.) kicker Alex Barbir Friday.

South Forsyth kicker Alex Barbir participating at Rutgers’ 2015 Specialists Camp (Photo: 247Sports)

Barbir will enter the competition next summer to replace what will be four-year placekicker Federico. The strong legged Georgia native will battle non-scholarship players David Bonagura, Michael Cintron, and Kevin Daly for the starting gig in 2016. However, Barbir knows he has a leg up in the competition and must show he is the best man for the job.

“From a football standpoint, I’m obviously a scholarship guy,” Barbir told NJ.com. “Their kicker is gonna be gone when I come in, so they do have high expectations for me. They do expect me to come in and be able to take that role, to be the guy performing on Saturdays for them day one when I come in freshman year.”

A scholarship kicker is rare in top dog Division-1 football according to Kristian Dyer at metro.us, as “only 20 (now 21) programs this year are prepared to offer a kicker a scholarship.”

In 2014, the All-County, All-Region, and All-State kicker connected on six-of-eight field goals (missed from 55 and 55 yards) including drilling two 50 plus yard field goals. Barbir also made 42 of his 43 point after touchdown attempts and 47 of his 55 kickoffs went for touchbacks (good for 85 percent). The 5-10, 195-pounder is ranked as the No. 8 kicker according to 247Sports.com.

Rutgers’ 2016 class now sits at No. 38 nationally and 10th in the Big Ten Conference according to 247Sports. Barbir becomes the 17th recruit to commit to the Scarlet Knights. He chose Rutgers over finalists Illinois and Navy. The Scarlet Knights offered Barbir back in late June at their 2015 version of their Specialists Camp where he won the kickoff competition with a with a 73-yard, 3.9-second hang time bomb.

Kickers can be unsung heroes as a team may need a clutch field goal late in the fourth quarter when their down by two to win the game. Having a solid kicker that has a power leg and is accurate is vital to the team’s success.

You can watch a video below of Barbir nailing a long 71-yard kick.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrfkCrUiwgM

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