As training camp comes for Rutgers football, one of the most important position groups welcomes many changes, from players to coaches. The wide receiver group for the Scarlet Knights can help make or break a successful campaign on the gridiron.
At the top, they welcome new wide receivers coach Dave Brock, replacing new running backs coach Damiere Shaw. Brock spent 2022 as a senior analyst at Texas, and before that spent five seasons coaching wide receivers with the Atlanta Falcons, featuring talents such as Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Mohamed Sanu.
There are new faces to be found among the players in the wide receiver room, as well. After losing their top three receivers in Sean Ryan, Aron Cruickshank, and Shameen Jones, Rutgers brought in two transfers at the position from lower levels to bolster the current talent.
Next up: Wide Receivers
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Projected to be the first wide receiver on the depth chart, JaQuae Jackson joined the Scarlet Knights by way of California University of Pennsylvania, a school that competes in NCAA Division II. He had a career year for the Vulcans in his junior season, racking up 77 receptions for 1,178 yards and 13 touchdowns. His efforts were rewarded with being named to the Don Hansen D-II All-America team as an honorable mention, the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association’s (D2CCA) All-Region second team, and the All-PSAC West first team.
The 6-foot-3, 175-pound receiver will have to adjust as the level of competition between Division II and the Big Ten is vast. One sign of optimism is the speed and athleticism he showed while at California, as he displayed enough that there is a belief it can translate to Power Five competition. While it may be a slow start as that adjustment happens, he should be able to break out as the top weapon for quarterback Gavin Wimsatt.
The other receiving addition Rutgers made from the portal is Naseim Brantley, who spent a year at FCS Western Illinois after playing at Sacred Heart for his first three seasons. Brantley, a Howell High School product, was named to the FCS All-American Second Team by Phil Steele and was the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year after logging 53 receptions for a league-leading 893 yards and nine touchdowns. He excels at high-pointing the football in contested catch situations and blowing past his coverage.
Although Brantley will also require an adjustment after moving up a level from FCS, the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder does have experience playing quality competition. In the Leathernecks’ matchup with Minnesota in 2022, he recorded three receptions for 50 yards and scored the team’s only touchdown. He also caught eight passes for 68 yards against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State and paced the team with four catches for 107 yards against eventual FCS national champion South Dakota State.
As for returning receivers, there is plenty of potential but not a ton of proven production. The remaining wide receivers on the roster have combined for 78 receptions, 885 yards, and three touchdowns in a Rutgers uniform.
Among the most experienced returning is Chris Long. After not recording any receiving stats his first two seasons, the redshirt junior logged 15 receptions for 200 yards and a touchdown, scoring on a one-handed catch vs Wagner. He will likely be the third receiver behind Jackson and Brantley for his ability to stretch the field for Wimsatt.
The slot receiver spot figures to be an interesting battle for the Scarlet Knights. On one hand is senior Christian Dremel, the former walk-on who was given the Mark Mills Second Effort Award for being the most improved offensive player during spring practice. He likely has the upper hand early on in large part due to his experience and attributes as a strong possession receiver by finding holes to get open.
On the other hand is Rashad Rochelle, a wide receiver turned running back turned receiver again entering his sophomore season. After a mini-breakout towards the end of the season in the backfield, Rochelle will rejoin the receiving room as it became a position of need and the running back position may be the deepest on the team. He showcased good vision and quick-twitch athleticism running the football, two skills that can propel a slot receiver’s production. While Dremel may earn the starting slot receiver role to start the year, Rochelle’s skills may eventually be too apparent to pass up as the season progresses.
Isaiah Washington will provide another piece for the passing game, as he enters his fifth season on the Banks. Though he has flashed at times as a big-bodied target with a propensity for highlight reel plays, he has yet to put it all together for a full season, and with the additions made in the offseason, he will likely play behind either Brantley or Jackson.
The top six are the most likely to consistently see the field, as new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca likes to emphasize multiple tight end packages in his offense, which means fewer receivers on the field at a time. Nasir Montgomery and Max Patterson feature as upperclassmen lower in the depth chart. Junior Gunnison Bloodgood comes in as a JUCO transfer and preferred walk-on, while sophomore speedster Fitzroy Ledgister will miss the season with an Achilles injury.
Behind the main pieces are some interesting younger receivers as well. Famah Toure comes in touted as a top 15 player in New Jersey, as he joins Jesse Ofurie, Deondre Johnson, and Dylan Braithwaite as three-star receivers in the 2023 class. Freshmen Ian Strong and Davoun Fuse initially joined the Scarlet Knights to play on the defensive side but converted to receiver during spring practice. Sage Clawges committed to Rutgers in June as a part of the 2024 class, but surprisingly reclassified to 2023 and is reportedly already on campus. While it is unclear whether he will play wide receiver or defensive back, he would be a welcome addition a year ahead of schedule for either position.
With new pieces and a new position coach to lead the group, the Scarlet Knights’ wide receiver room will likely be the x-factor to the team’s success, as quarterback Gavin Wimsatt needs reliable weapons to throw to in order to help bring Rutgers back to relevance in the Big Ten. A positional makeover puts the group in a good spot to bring success.
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