Rutgers Football Preferred Walk-On Class of 2015

LB Austin Rosa
(James Robinson | Pennlive)

Todderick Hunt of NJ Advance Media and NJ.com provided a great list and analysis for the 11 preferred walk-ons who have committed to the program and will arrive in the summer.

The walk-ons come from a mixture of positions including kicker/punter, wide receiver, defensive tackle, linebacker, and defensive back.

According to Hunt, “Preferred walk-ons are assured a spot on the team they commit to, after being recruited by that team’s staff. And although they receive enrollment assistance and preferential treatment not extended to walk-ons off the street, they don’t initially receive scholarship offers.”

With Rutgers being in the Big Ten, head coach Kyle Flood as well as the fans know the team needs to get bigger, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines. With the powerful running attacks, and mammoth of opposing lines, Rutgers has made that conscious effort to beef up. The linemen a part of the 24 scholarship recruits coming in, along with the preferred walk-ons confirm that notion.

You can find a quick list of those players committed as preferred walk-ons below, and you can click on the link above in the first sentence for an in-depth look at the prospects by Hunt by scrolling through the photo gallery.

Rutgers Preferred Walk-Ons Class of 2015:

1) Kenneth Roman, 6-5, 325-pound defensive tackle from Milford Academy (New Berlin, N.Y.)

2) JoJo Gause, 6-4, 225-pound wide receiver – brother of Rutgers senior starting linebacker Quentin Gause from Milford Academy (New Berlin, N.Y.)

3) Chris Parker, 5-6, 160-pound skill athlete from The Poly Prep (Brooklyn, N.Y.) will compete at slot reciever

4) Jake Monteiro, a 5-11, 185-pound kicker/punter from Shore Regional

5) Austin Rosa, 6-0, 203 Linebacker from The Wilson (West Lawn, Pa.)

6) John Bowers, 6-0, 180-pound punter from Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)

7) Alex Hutchings, 6-4, 200-pound snapper/tight end from Webster (N.Y.)

8) Max Anthony, 6-2, 245-pound linebacker/fullback from Phillips Academy – a prep school in Andover, Mass.

9) Gavin Haggerty, a 5-10, 160-pound kicker from St. Joseph (Montvale)

10) D’Won Walker, 6-0, 180-pound defensive back from St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.)

11) Conor Dowd, 5-11, 215-pounder, fullback at Rutgers from Milford Academy (New Berlin, N.Y.)