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Rutgers football: Five players that shined during 2023 campaign

jamie gatlin
·3 min read

During the 2023 season, the Scarlet Knights showed a lot of encouraging signs as they earned their first bowl game in almost ten years. The defense continued to be a strength and the offense showed progress. While their success was a team effort, five players in particular were vital to Rutgers success.

As Rutgers football finished the regular season with a 6-6 record, the talented trio of Kyle Monangai, Gavin Wimsatt and Christian Dremel led the way offensively. Monangai turned into the Big Ten’s leading rusher while Dremel became Rutgers’ most reliable receiver.

 

On the defensive side, Rutgers did not make life easy for opponents. They were led by Mohamed Toure and Deion Jennings. The talented duo added 169 total tackles to their resume and did not miss a game.

Although Rutgers improvement was due to many pieces, the talented group of Monangai, Wimsatt, Dremel, Toure and Jennings took their play to another level and created excitement for the future.

Scroll down for a breakdown of their 2023 campaigns!

Kyle Monangai

 

Kyle Monangai took his game to another level in his fourth season as a Scarlet Knight. The New Jersey native set new career highs in rushing yards with 1,099 and touchdowns with seven. On a weekly basis, Monangai was a human highlight reel while averaging 5.1 yards per carry and 91.6 yards a game.

 

 

 

 

Gavin Wimsatt

 

 

One of the bright spots for Rutgers during the 2023 campaign was the development of Gavin Wimsatt. The Scarlet Knights’ QB appeared in a career-high 12 games, adding 1,651 passing yards to his resume. He was also a threat with his legs, recording 488 rushing yards. While Wimsatt struggled with consistency at times, he was Rutgers second-best player offensively.

Deion Jennings

 

On a Rutgers defense that caused headaches for opponents, Deion Jennings was a tackling machine. The New Jersey native added a team-high 86 total tackles to his resume during the 2023 campaign. He also recorded 3.5 sacks and was Rutgers best linebacker. As Jennings has done since making his collegiate debut in 2019, he made an impact every time he stepped on the field.

Mohamed Toure

 

In his fourth season as a Scarlet Knight, Mohamed Toure became a vital piece of the defense. He was a ball magnet every time he was on the field, recording a career-high 85 total tacks. For the second straight year, the New Jersey native appeared in more than 10 games. Rutgers defense was at its best with the talented linebacker on the field.

Christian Dremel

 

Rounding out the top five is Christian Dremel, who was Wimsatt’s favorite target. The Caldwell native led Rutgers in receptions with 34 and receiving yards with 440. After only hauling in one reception last year, Dremel became an irreplaceable piece on offense and averaged 12.9 yards a catch. Before the 2023 campaign, Dremel had never recorded more than 39 receiving yards in a season.

Story originally appeared on Rutgers Wire