Rutgers Football 2016 Prospects To Watch

Last week, Double G Sports took a look at the five players committed to Rutgers for the 2016 recruiting cycle. Today, we touch upon a few targets head coach Kyle Flood and the staff are working diligently on.

NJ Advance Media’s Todderick Hunt reported Grand Street High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. wide receiver Taysir Mack will announce his college intentions within the next few weeks on June 5 at Rutgers’ Skills camp. It is widely assumed Mack, from the same school as 2015 signee Kamaal Seymour, will commit to Rutgers, joining Mo Jabbie at wide out.

Mack’s teammate and another receiver Ahmed Bah, could decide soon as well with Rutgers perceived to be in good standing.

New Jersey is home to a slew of top athletes, and Flood needs to keep the best football players home to help compete in the rigors of the Big Ten. While Bergen Catholic quarterback Jarret Guarantano and DePaul Catholic running back Kareem Walker chose to leave the state, there are several highly-touted prospects left. Hopefully a good number all stay home and become a Scarlet Knight.

Here are a couple of the top guys Rutgers is after:

DT Rashan Gary – Paramus Catholic (NJ):

Gary would be the gets of all gets, the program changer, the player that can make the 2016 Dream Team a reality. Gary is a complete man-child at 6-4, 290-pounds, throwing around the opposition. The defensive lineman crushed opposing quarterbacks with 14 sacks for the Paladins. Gary is listed as the one of the top, if not the best player in the country. 247sports.com lists Gary as a 5-star and the number one overall player for the class of 2016.  If the Scotch Plains, N.J. native does stay home and come to Rutgers, other highly-touted NJ athletes, as well from around the country could follow suit to “the banks”.

DT Rashan Gary

WR Kelvin Harmon – Palmyra (NJ):

Speaking of talent, Palmyra wide receiver Kelvin Harmon is vastly underrated. Ranked a 3-star by the 247Sports composite, Harmon has superb size and hands and stands at 6-3, 200. He was named an MVP at the Rivals Camp series a few weeks ago held at Piscataway High School. Harmon totaled 54 catches for 829 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Group 1 school a year ago.

CB Patrice Rene – Episcopal (VA):

Rene, originally from Canada, transferred to Episcopal Academy in Alexandria, VA before his junior year. At 6-1, 180, Rene has said his recruitment could come down to Rutgers, and the defending national champs, Ohio State. However, Rutgers could use Rene more and would battle for playing time the moment he steps on campus. 247Sports ranks Rene as the 24th best cornerback in the country and a 4-star prospect.

WR Ahmir Mitchell – Cedar Creek (NJ):

Mitchell, is a 4-star athlete/wide receiver from Egg Harbor City, N.J. At 6-3, 210, Mitchell has great size and is very athletic. As a junior, Mitchell caught 47 passes for 872 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also rushed for 241 yards and 5 scores, passed for 60 yards, had 37 tackles, an interception, two kickoff returns for touchdowns and a forced fumble. The play maker has pondered the idea of being the first top in-state player to stay home at Rutgers per Hunt.

OL Will Fries – Cranford (NJ):

Fries currently has a Rutgers visit set up on June 20 as per 247Sports.com, and the 6-6, 270-pound big offensive lineman is a 3-star recruit according to the 247Sports composite. Many of the crystal ball predictions have Fries heading across state lines to Penn State.

DT Karamo Dioubate – Prep Charter (PA):

Dioubate last visited Rutgers for his “first true campus visit” back on May 2 according to Hunt. The 6-foot-3, 279-pound defensive tackle already plays in a 4-3 scheme in high school and would be a perfect fit for the Scarlet Knights. A four-star prospect according to the 247Sports composite, Dioubate accumulated 24 sacks a season ago and is a disruptive force. Rutgers looks to be in a battle Penn State for his services as the 247Sports crystal ball indicates.

DE Ron Johnson – Camden (NJ):

Johnson is a standout defensive down at Camden High School in south Jersey. At 6-4, 240, the 4-star accumulated 84 tackles and 10 sacks as a junior. Johnson would come in and immediately vie for playing time and you could never have enough talented bodies on the lines. He recently released his “Top 15” in no order which included Rutgers.

httpss://twitter.com/RonJohn24/status/602594938434428928

You may find others in a great write-up at onthebanks.com.