In a historic recruiting class, there are plenty of potential high-impact recruits for Rutgers Football.
Unlike professional football, recruiting is the lifeblood of the college level – and that’s especially true for Rutgers Football.
Great teams are not simply built with current rosters, but constantly replenished with talent from the high school ranks. They can shift from one title-contending roster to another by being a personable recruiter and having a talented player development system. On the other hand, struggling programs can fall entirely out of relevancy by whiffing on their recruitment or neglecting it altogether.
Add in the wild-west that NIL and the transfer portal have created, and a program’s ability to create the best recruiting class possible has become even more critical in the modern age.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have known both sides of the equation. For years, the NJ-based Big Ten school struggled to recruit on par with their powerhouse conference opponents. As a result, they played at a much lower level than their competition. However, that has changed under head coach Greg Schiano.
In the new NIL-era, Rutgers has managed to put together one of the best recruiting classes in the nation. It has set up the Scarlet Knights to be a formidable player for years in their conference and college football.
Who are some of the key contributors? Who are the players that could turn Rutgers into a contender? Follow along to learn about some of the most impactful football recruits in the 2025 Rutgers recruiting class.
Kamar Archie, Linebacker
The most recent commit of the 2025 recruiting class, Kamar Archie has a very high ceiling as a future centerpiece of Rutgers football.
Archie reclassified from the 2024 class into the 2025 class and currently attends the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, after starting his high school career at Ewing High School. He is above-average in size, standing at 6-foot-2 inches, and weighed 230 pounds before ever entering a college weight program.
Archie combines that size with elite athleticism; according to NJ.com, the linebacker ran 21.8 miles per hour at the Hun School’s workouts. He is also said to be able to squat 495 pounds three times and broad jump 10 feet-six inches.
Schiano is continuing his linebacker pipeline by adding Archie to the program. If he can hit on his potential, he could be one of Rutgers’ best overall defenders during his years in New Brunswick.
Tariq Hayer, Safety
Sticking on the defensive side of the ball, Tariq Hayer is widely considered one of the best safety prospects in the nation.
Ranked as the second-best prospect in the Washington DC area by 247 Sports, Hayer possesses the all-around talent necessary to succeed at the collegiate level. He has four career interceptions, multiple of which were of the diving variety. Hayer also has the speed and athleticism necessary to cause havoc as a tackler and pass rusher; he already runs a 4.6 40-yard dash and recorded an 11.17 time in the 100-meter dash.
In an article discussing Hayer, RutgersWire heaped praise onto one of the Scarlet Knights’ best recruits.
“Hayer is a top-10 safety prospect with excellent ball skills. The future Scarlet Knight can cover wide receivers and tight ends in passing situations while providing run support in the rushing game. Hayer can run downhill and make strong tackles in the open field. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back is quick on his feet, changing directions in minimal time. Hayer is a physical player in the secondary who can lower the blow to opposing ball carriers.”
In a conference that added a lot of offensive firepower through realignment, having a strong defense is imperative. Hayer, with his all-around talent and athletic makeup, is shaping up to be a big part of the future Rutgers defense.
Michael Thomas III, Wide Receiver
Another big-time New Jersey recruit who chose to stay home, Thomas III looks to bring explosiveness to the Scarlet Knights once he steps foot on campus.
In 2023, Thomas III had 38 catches for 438 yards and five touchdowns. He added 341 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, many of which came as a situational quarterback. Off the gridiron, the highly-rated recruit ran a blasing 10.76 in the 100-meter dash and owns a 21-6 in the long jump.
Andrew Ivins, who is 247Sports’ director of scouting, said he was a fan of the receiver in the company’s write-up of Thomas III’s commitment.
“He’s an offensive weapon that can produce chunk plays. The thing that jumps out about him is what he’s able to do after the catch as he’s got plus vision as a ball carrier and makes it difficult for would-be tacklers to get him on the ground. He took a lot of direct snaps as a junior and impressed in that role as he beat defenders to the perimeter.”
Wide receiver has been a bit of an issue for the Scarlet Knights in years past, as the team’s quarterbacks have not had reliable targets to consistent target. Led by a fun transfer portal class in 2024 and the likes of Thomas III in 2025, those fortunes seem to be turning around for Rutgers.
Joshua Blackston, Offensive Tackle
The trenches are extremely important at the college ranks, and offensive tackle Joshua Blackston is evidence of Rutgers’s understanding of that concept.
Standing at 6-feet, 5-inches and weighing 275 pounds, Blackston has the necessary frame and size for high-level football. He also has a winning pedigree, helping Dunbar High School go 11-0 in 2023.
After his commitment, Rivals.com said that the Maryland-based recruit has “the frame, quickness, and strength to grow into an impressive offensive lineman at the next level” and that he is already a great pass blocker at a young age.
“Joshua Blackston has seen his stock rise in his recruitment as of late. With most offensive linemen, he’ll need time to get comfortable at the college level, but he likely can develop into a prototypical right tackle. With that said, he also has the versatility to play on the interior as a guard as well. His tenacity immediately jumps out, and his highlights are full of plays that drive defenders down the field in the running game and stone-walling edge defenders in pass protection. ”
If Blackston can capitalize on the massive potential he brings in both facets of the game, he will be a major key of sustaining offensive success for Rutgers.
John Forster, RB
Star running back Kyle Monangai is set to depart Rutgers soon, and the football program will need a replacement to carry the offensive load on the ground. Luckily, Rutgers have added John Forster to their recruiting class, who has the talent and ability to potentially be molded into that type of football player.
The New Jersey-based product has been a force on the ground and through the air for his high school years. Attending St. Josepeh’s Regional in Montvale, Forster has 688 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in two seasons. He has averaged seven yards per carry on 98 backfield touches. As a receiver, the explosive back has 543 yards and five touchdowns on 29 receptions.
Forster spoke about choosing Rutgers shortly after he committed, complementing the way the school handles the development of running backs.
“I like how much they run the ball and also how they use their running backs in the passing game as well. The family culture stands out to me. Every coach is like family, and all the players have the same goal of getting better each day.”
Rutgers may not be RBU, but they have done a great job developing Monangai into one of the best college players at his position. With an even more talented player in Forster, watching how the offensive staff eventually utilizes their new weapon will be intriguing.
DJ McClary, Linebacker
Last is certainly not least, and that is especially the case for linebacker DJ McClary.
A dynamo athlete at 6-foot-1-inch and 210 pounds, Greg Schiano and company arguably pulled off a heist in flipping McClary from in-conference rival Penn State. Speaking to NJ Advance Media, McClary said he flipped “on behalf of my comfort and the trust with the program.”
“I love the culture, and I want to be a part of something great incoming. So, I made my decision last night.”
Was the effort worth it, though? Odds are that it was.
Playing all over the field, McClary has racked up an insane stat sheet at the high school level. He has 321 tackles, 52.2 tackles for a loss, five sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two pick-sixes on the defensive side of the ball in three years at Henry Snyder High School. On offense, McClary has 4,173 rushing yards and 52 TDs on 359 carries and 1,299 yards and nine TDs through the air.
It may not matter where Rutgers ends up playing McClary when he arrives on campus, as he has the overwhelming athletic ability and production to make an instant impact on the team.
