A New Beginning: Inside Rutgers’ Incoming Freshman Class
As the clock continues to wind down, just under 12 weeks remain until the start of the college football season. After a disappointing 2024 campaign in which Rutgers finished 5–7 overall and 2–7 in Big Ten play, the Scarlet Knights look to bounce back and re-establish themselves within the conference and in the world of college football. After losing key players like Athan Kaliakmanis, Dariel Djabome, and Jett Elad, Rutgers now looks to the incoming Freshman class to bring the program back into the light.
While not having the highest recruiting class in the Big Ten (with reports ranging from top 10-13), The Scarlet Knights were able to recruit key players for the upcoming 2026 season.
Devonte Anderson out of West Orange High School, Florida is a 4-Star (247sports) and the 35th ranked Corner Back of the 2026 class. Choosing Rutgers over programs like Florida, UMiami, and Michigan State, the Florida native makes his way to Piscataway where analysts like Andrew Ivins projects Anderson to be a “potential multi-year starter” for the program.
Coming out from Rockford, Illinois is 4-Star (247sports) safety and the 10th ranked player to come out of the state. Messiah Tilson has both the eyes and judgement as he goes to Rutgers looking to ride the momentum he had coming out of high school. Alongside Football, Tilson also played both basketball and competed in track and field where he placed 6th nationally in the 100m at the AAU Track and Field Nationals. Even with offers from powerhouse schools like Illinois and Kentucky, the fast prospect comes to Rutgers as one of the most impressive multi-sport athletes.
The 50th ranked wide receiver of the 2026 class is Dyzier Carter. From Louisa County High School in Mineral, Virginia, the Scarlet Knights got a huge win securing the twitchy receiver. Being the brother of former Indiana WR Dequece Carter (2023), Dyzier brings a similar quick-twitch, explosive play style with strong separation ability and the potential to develop into a reliable target in Rutgers’ passing game as he adjusts to the college level. The Rutgers community is excited to land him after the athlete received offers from big names such as Georgia, Indiana, Penn State, and Michigan.
33rd ranked interior offensive lineman Jared Smith comes out of Stockbridge, Georgia. The 6-5, 330 pound athlete was named OL MVP of the Under Armour Next camp in Atlanta his senior year and was also a regional qualifier in both discus and shot put in high school. With the talent that Rutgers currently has in the OL position, expert Andrew Ivins projects that Smith could Redshirt his freshman year but then come out as a strong starter afterwards. The 3-star recruit (247sports) had offers from UMiami, Auburn, and Georgia but ultimately chose to continue his playing career for the Scarlet Knights.
From West Chester, Pennsylvania, the 79th ranked offensive tackle of the 2026 class Tyler Duell chose the Scarlet Knights over schools like Duke, Kentucky, and Nebraska. Duell brings a strong, college-ready frame with the ability to add significant size and strength once he enters Rutgers’ development program. At the next level, he projects as a developmental tackle with the upside to compete for a rotational role down the line as he adjusts to the speed and physicality of college football.
Coming into the 2026 college football season, Rutgers has signed 23 true freshman student athletes and is rated by 247sports for having the top 39th recruiting class. While it is still unknown what roles each freshman will ultimately carve out in year one, the class brings a balanced mix of talent across multiple position groups, giving the Scarlet Knights both immediate depth and long-term developmental pieces.
Brandon Cho / Olde City Sports Network
Photo Credit / Dakota Moyer
Photo Credit / 247/Sports
