2021 DB Chapman, cousin of former Rutgers WR, talks camp

Remember Brandon Coleman?

The former Rutgers wide receiver's cousin, Roderick Chapman Jr., was in Piscataway on Saturday for the Scarlet Knights' third session of East Coast Elite camp.

Chapman, a young 2021 cornerback who attends Coleman's old high school, Bishop McNamara in Forestville, Md., was joined by his coaches and other players from the Pick 6 Academy in Glenn Dale, Md.

During the lunch break at the camp, Chapman talked about what it is like being back at Rutgers now and what he remembered from watching Coleman play for the Scarlet Knights from 2011-13.

"I watched him put on a show," Chapman said. "Sometimes I would dream about being out here. It’s cool. Being back here, it feels great. I have flashbacks of him catching all types of passes.

"(Brandon's) a cool dude. He gives great advice. I ask him questions all of the time. He tells me what I need to do and how I need to do it.”

Advice such as?

“On the field, he keeps telling me to keep working hard and make plays," Chapman said. "Off the field, he preaches to keep my grades up and to stay out of trouble. Recruiting wise, he tells me to stay patient. Coaches and colleges will come. ... He’s just a big role model."

Coleman was at Rutgers prior to the move to the Big Ten and prior to the Chris Ash regime, but he does his best to tell Chapman what it was like when he was roaming the campus and playing ball and and everything else about the university.

“He always tells me about the long football history they have and how good the academics are," Chapman said. "He tells me about the coaches and how nice the facilities are what type of people I can meet to build my network for the future.”

Chapman is just a sophomore, so his recruitment is just getting started. He and his group from Pick 6 Academy were at Virginia last weekend and the Cavaliers have shown some interest in the early going as well as Rutgers and select other programs.

"Virginia, UMass, and Maryland all want to see me. Rutgers also liked how I performed over the weekend," Chapman said.

Though Chapman is smaller and younger than Coleman (6-foot-6), who played with the New Orleans Saints in the NFL, the up-and-comer can't wait for the opportunity to go against his older cousin on the field at some point.

“Yes, I do think I can check him," Chapman said with a laugh. "I’m always up for a challenge especially since he’s so big. I haven't gone one-on-one with him before but I plan on it."