Rutgers football on National Signing Day: Meet the Scarlet Knights' 2024 recruiting class
Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano often talks about his program’s pipeline.
The goal is to develop talent within the program to the point where the Scarlet Knights have that experienced, older players that a Big Ten program needs to be competitive and successful, while each year infusing high-level young talent into the team to continue the cycle.
The latest additions to that pipeline are now officially joining the program.
Rutgers welcomed in its 2024 recruiting class Wednesday as the early signing period began, giving the Scarlet Knights a new crop of players they hope will develop into impact players and help the program continue its upward trajectory.
The class comprises 23 high school recruits covering nine different states – including seven prospects from Florida and four from New Jersey. Rutgers will also welcome in four recruits from the Midwest as the program’s recruiting footprint expands.
According to 247Sports, the class is ranked 34th in the nation and 10th in the Big Ten – and that includes the newest programs to the conference.
So who joined the Scarlet Knights?
Here's a look at each member of their 2024 recruiting class:
Kaj Sanders, S
School: Bergen Catholic (Oradell, NJ)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185
Sanders' commitment was a big one for Rutgers, representing the first top recruit from one of the Big North New Jersey non-public powerhouses to pledge to the Scarlet Knights. Ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect in the state by the 247Sports Composite, Sanders won three championships with the Crusaders. He has elite speed and ran a 10.8 100 meter. Sanders, who also played running back at Bergen Catholic, has a chance to contribute early. Sanders had a long list of offers with Rutgers, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin as the finalists.
Sanders felt at home with Rutgers. His final day of high school is Wednesday, allowing him to enroll at Rutgers immediately and be with the Scarlet Knights as they prepare for the Pinstripe Bowl.
"The way the coaches treated me, the people in the locker room, all the dancing and celebrating, was like how my teammates are," Sanders told NorthJersey.com local sports columnist Darren Cooper. "It felt like another Bergen, just at a higher level."
Antonio White, S
School: Parkview (Georgia)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170
White is rated a four-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite. An elite athlete, White had an eye-popping 24½ tackles for loss as a defensive back during his senior season. White, who also had offers from Auburn, Indiana, Texas A&M and Louisville, among others, could have a chance to contribute early as a special teams player. White's commitment also shows Rutgers' expanding recruiting footprint in the South. He has a chance to be a special player for the Scarlet Knights with definite NFL potential.
Aaris Bethea, DL
School: Erasmus Hall (New York)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 250
Bethea is the latest player to join Rutgers from the Erasmus Hall pipeline. He's rated the No. 6 overall recruit in New York by 247Sports. Bethea comes from a winning high school program, earning championships each year. Bethea had 11 tackles for loss as a senior. He also had offers from Nebraska, Maryland, Ole Miss and Texas A&M among others.
Kenny Jones, OL
School: Delran (New Jersey)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 275
Jones was the first member of this class, committing to Rutgers in November, 2022. He's a big, athletic offensive lineman with a 7-foot wingspan, which is rare for someone at his position. Jones has a chance to develop into a good contributor for Pat Flaherty's offensive line.
Benjamin Black
School: Mallard Creek (North Carolina)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180
Black adds more elite speed to the program, having run a 10.7 100 meter and a 4.36 40-yard dash in track. Black was chosen for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, a matchup between top players from North Carolina and South Carolina. Don't be surprised if Black earns himself a job early as a returner on special teams because of his elite quickness and acceleration. North Carolina State made a big push to land Black, but Rutgers ultimately won out.
Sam Pilof, LB
School: Middleton (Wisconsin)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 210
Pilof was a big addition to this class. From Wisconsin, Pilof's commitment shows Rutgers' recruiting footprint expanding into the Midwest. Pilof had more than 100 tackles as a senior and has the ability to play either linebacker position and could also contribute immediately on special teams. Pilof had an offer list that included Penn State and Wisconsin.
Kevin Levy, CB
School: Cardinal Newman (Florida)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Levy is a stellar athlete, who also starred in track and field with a 10.6 100 meter. He held an impressive offer list that included Louisville, Illinois, Florida, Miami and Maryland, among others. Levy has a chance to become an elite cornerback for the Scarlet Knights.
Farell Gnago, DE
School: College Jean-De-Brebeuf (Montreal, Canada)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 245
Gnago is the latest addition to the class. Previously committed to Kent State, Gnago flipped to Rutgers on Wednesday. The Scarlet Knights also beat out Michigan State, which had recently extended an offer, to land him. Gnago has explosiveness off the edge and is another solid addition to an already deep defensive line.
Korey Duff Jr., WR
School: St. Anthony’s (Melville, NY)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 207
Duff’s commitment represents the third-straight year that Rutgers has landed the top recruit in New York, joining Ian Strong in 2023 and Moses Walker in 2022. Like Strong, Duff is another tall wide receiver with a chance to contribute early. Duff narrowed down his list of offers to Rutgers, Central Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Texas A&M and Syracuse before choosing the Scarlet Knights.
Raynor Andrews, OL
School: Norland (Florida)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 315
Andrews clearly has Big Ten size and is a high upside player as he continues to develop. Still relatively new to football, he’s only played the sport for two years. He also had offers from Florida State, Syracuse and Colorado, among others.
Noah Shaw, LB
School: Asheville (North Carolina)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 195
A highly productive player in high school, racking up nine sacks, seven interceptions and two blocked punts on special teams. He’s another player who could contribute on special teams early on for Rutgers.
AJ Surace, QB
School: Notre Dame (New Jersey)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 210
Surace is the latest quarterback to join Rutgers. The son of Princeton head coach Bob Surace, AJ is a highly accurate quarterback who completed 70 percent of his passes as a senior. He's a fast processor and is highly skilled at reading defenses. Surace is also a true dual-threat quarterback, a good fit for Kirk Ciarrocca's system.
Gabe Winowich, RB
School: Notre Dame (New Jersey)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 215
Winowich played his first three years of high school football at Birmingham Country Day in Michigan, but transferred to Notre Dame so he’d be allowed to enroll early at Rutgers – that also allowed him to play with AJ Surace. A four-star running back, Winowich missed the first three games of his senior season because of transfer rules yet still finished the season with more than 1,000 yards. Winowich projects to be a good addition to a deep running back room, but he could also play on special teams.
Sam Robinson, LB
School: Lincoln (Florida)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 210
Robinson picked Rutgers from a solid list of offers that included Colorado, Maryland, Louisville, Cincinnati and Central Florida. He previously was committed to UCF but flipped to Rutgers back in June. Robinson has a good combination of size, speed and explosiveness to be a Big Ten linebacker.
Dahkari Gilley, S
School: University Christian (Florida)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190
Gilley is a versatile player who could ultimately play multiple positions – from safety to linebacker to nickel. He boasts plenty of athleticism and speed and brings a lot of upside to the Scarlet Knights.
Montele Johnson, LB
School: West Bloomfield (Michigan)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 220
Johnson’s a hard-hitting, run-stopping linebacker who had a stellar junior season before suffering an injury as a senior. He also had offers from Boston College, Kansas, Kentucky and West Virginia, among others.
Monte Keener, TE
School: Linden (Michigan)
Height: 6-7
Weight: 215
Keener is the type of big, tall pass-catching tight end that Rutgers needs more of. With more development and work in Jay Butler’s strength program, Keener has a chance to become an imposing blocker and red-zone threat in the Scarlet Knights’ offense.
Matthew Ogunniyi, TE
School: Charles Herbert Flowers (Maryland)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 205
Ogunniyi committed to Rutgers back in May, just one month after receiving an offer from Texas A&M. A multi-sport athlete, Ogunniyi has tremendous upside if he can develop Rutgers hopes he can. He could become another weapon as a good pass-catching tight end. Ogunniyi said at the time of his commitment that he planned to work on his blocking ability.
Isaiah Crumpler, WR
Height: D H Conley (North Carolina)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175
A multi-sport athlete, Crumpler's a fast and shifty receiver who also ran track and played basketball in high school. He comes from an NFL family – his father Carlester Sr. played six years in the NFL and his brother Alge is a former Pro Bowl tight end with the Atlanta Falcons, while another brother, Carlester Jr., was a tight end for the Seahawks and Vikings.
Edd Guerrier, RB
School: Port Charlotte (Florida)
Height: 5-7
Weight: 192
Guerrier is the all-time leading rusher for his high school – which is impressive considering how many good running backs Florida produces. He has a similar frame as current Rutgers running back Ja’shon Benjamin.
Tycoolhill Luman, DL
School: Norland (Florida)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 239
Originally from Canada, Luman has the potential to develop into a solid piece for Rutgers’ defensive line. He has good speed and athleticism as a defensive end. Luman had a long list of offers that included Arkansas, Minnesota, Indiana, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Auburn among others.
Carter Kadow, OT
School: Middleton (Wisconsin)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 260
A converted tight end, Kadow has high upside to become a solid Big Ten offensive lineman with additional strength. Kadow, who also played basketball in high school, adds more depth to the OL room.
Elijah King, DE
School: Gahanna Lincoln (Ohio)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 230
King is the all-time sack leader for his high school, an impressive achievement. Another Midwest product, King also had offers from Purdue, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Iowa State as part of a long list of potential destinations.
Tyclean Luman, DE
School: Norland (Florida)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 250
The brother of Tycoolhill Luman, Tyclean has a similar frame and similar potential. He had 37 tackles (11 for loss) with 5½ sacks his senior season.
Dymere Miller, WR
Height: 5-11
Weight: 198
Miller is a transfer from Monouth, where this past season he led the FCS in receiving yards with 1,293 and 117.5 receiving yards per game. He was second nationally with 90 receptions, which is a program record. Miller has tremendous speed and will be an immediate weapon for Rutgers' offense.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers football: 2024 recruiting class tracker on Signing Day
