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Message: [QUOTE="CuseLegacy, post: 1431888, member: 469"] [URL]http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2015/07/recruiting_rewind_how_have_the_top_20_nj_prospects.html[/URL] Whenever there's discussion about how [URL='http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/'][U]Rutgers[/U][/URL] can reach the next level, there is near universal agreement that [URL='http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2015/02/recruiting_analysts_agree_rutgers_needs_to_land_mo.html'][U]the key is retaining more of the top recruits from New Jersey[/U][/URL]. Rutgers' proximity to homegrown talent should provide an advantage, but the program has been unable to build the proverbial wall around New Jersey. "They have to get five out of the top 10 if they want to take the next step. And I would say probably 9-10 out of the top 20," Mike Farrell, the national recruiting director for , said in February. "Set your goals high. They're not close to that right now. But they were in the [URL='http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2015/04/catching_up_with_rutgers_defensive_tackle_darius_h.html'][U](Darius) Hamilton[/U][/URL] year (in 2012) and they had a few guys who were committed before the disaster of (2014), too, so it can be done. But I think it's important not to allow other schools to come in and just cherry pick who they want." The emphasis of keeping Jersey recruits home has been repeated for years. But would stocking the roster with homegrown talent be enough to thrust Rutgers into the upper echelon of college football? To find that answer, I'm going to review the college careers of the top 20 New Jersey prospects from recent years, according to . Have the top Jersey recruits lived up to the hype in college? Are there more busts than stars? Let's find out, with a look at the 2011 recruiting class: [B]1. RB Savon Huggins[/B] [B]High School: [/B]St. Peter's Prep [B]College: [/B]Rutgers/Northern Iowa [B]Rating: [/B]4 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Huggins had 261 carries for 842 yards (3.2 ypc) and nine touchdowns in three seasons at Rutgers. He transferred to Division 1-AA Northern Iowa, where he will play his final season of eligibility this fall. [B]2. LB Anthony Sarao[/B] [B]High School:[/B] Holy Spirit [B]College: [/B]USC [B]Rating: [/B]4 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Sarao, who is entering his redshirt senior season, has been a two-year starter at inside linebacker. He has 158 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble in his career. [B]3. WR Miles Shuler[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Long Branch [B]College: [/B]Rutgers/Northwestern [B]Rating: [/B]4 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Shuler had five catches for 71 yards and seven carries for 67 yards in two years at Rutgers before transferring to Northwestern prior to the 2013 season. He had 23 catches for 190 yards and six carries for 24 yards and a touchdown during his redshirt junior season at Northwestern in 2014. [B]4. DT Marquise Wright[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Paramus Catholic [B]College:[/B] Rutgers/Elon [B]Rating:[/B] 4 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Wright was shifted from defensive line to offensive line and appeared in two career games at Rutgers before transferring to Division 1-AA Elon during the 2013 season. He had 29 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, and two blocked kicks during his redshirt junior season at Elon in 2014. [B]5. WR Damiere Byrd[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Timber Creek [B]College: [/B]South Carolina [B]Rating: [/B]4 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Byrd caught 68 passes for 1,275 yards and 10 touchdowns during his career. He signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in May. [B]6. DB Sheldon Royster[/B] [B]High School: [/B]St. Peter's Prep [B]College: [/B]South Carolina/Rutgers [B]Rating: [/B]4 stars [B]Recap:[/B] Royster redshirted for one season at South Carolina before transferring to Rutgers in 2012. He never appeared in a game at Rutgers and left the program after the 2013 season. [B]7. ATH Bill Belton[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Winslow Township [B]College: [/B]Penn State [B]Rating:[/B] 4 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Belton had 355 carries for 1,652 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career. He added 51 catches for 409 yards and four touchdowns. Belton plays for the Philadelphia Soul in the Arena Football League. [B]8. DE Connor Wujciak [/B] [B]High School:[/B] Seton Hall Prep [B]College: [/B]Boston College [B]Rating:[/B] 4 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Wujciak, who is entering his redshirt senior season, has started 26 career games. He has 81 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and one forced fumble in his career. Wujciak was named third-team All-ACC in 2014. [B]9. OL Josue Matias[/B] [B]High School:[/B] Union City [B]College: [/B]Florida State [B]Rating: [/B]4 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Matias started the final 43 games of his career at left guard. He was a two-time All-ACC second-team selection. Matias signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in May. [B]10. OL Angelo Mangiro[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Roxbury [B]College: [/B]Penn State [B]Rating: [/B]3 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Mangiro, who is entering his redshirt senior season, has appeared in 37 career games, including 13 starts. [B]11. ATH Tanner McEvoy[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Bergen Catholic [B]College:[/B] South Carolina/Arizona Western/Wisconsin [B]Rating: [/B]3 stars [B]Recap:[/B] McEvoy redshirted at South Carolina in 2011 before transferring to Arizona Western. He played one season at the community college before transferring to Wisconsin in 2013. McEvoy played in 11 games at safety in 2013, recording 27 tackles. He appeared at quarterback in 13 games in 2014, completing 65-of-112 passes (58 percent) for 709 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions with 65 carries for 574 yards (8.8 ypc) and six touchdowns. McEvoy has shifted back to safety for the 2015 season. [B]12. DE Kyle George[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Willingboro [B]College: [/B]Rutgers/Nassau CC/Wesley [B]Rating:[/B] 3 stars [B]Recap:[/B] George left Rutgers after one season. He transferred to Nassau Community College before landing at Division 3 Wesley College. [B]13. QB Gary Nova[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Don Bosco Prep [B]College:[/B] Rutgers [B]Rating: [/B]3 stars [B]Recap:[/B] Nova made 41 career starts, completing 689-of-1,245 passes (55.3 percent) for 9,258 yards, 73 touchdowns and 51 interceptions. He set Rutgers career records for touchdown passes and attempts and he ranks second in career yards and completions. [B]14. DE Max Issaka[/B] [B]High School:[/B] Woodbridge [B]College:[/B] Rutgers [B]Rating:[/B] 3 stars [B]Recap:[/B] Issaka appeared in 10 career games, making four tackles, including two for a loss, in 2012. He left the program after the 2013 season. [B]15. LB Quinton Alston[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Timber Creek [B]College: [/B]Iowa [B]Rating: [/B]3 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Alston had 118 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in his career. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2014. Alston was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in May. [B]16. OL Keith Lumpkin[/B] [B]High School: [/B]St. Peter's Prep [B]College: [/B]Rutgers [B]Rating: [/B]3 stars [B]Recap: [/B]Lumpkin, who is entering his redshirt senior season, has appeared in 29 career games, including 26 straight starts at left tackle. [B]17. TE Jack Tabb[/B] [B]High School:[/B] Red Bank Catholic [B]College:[/B] North Carolina [B]Rating: [/B]3 stars [B]Recap:[/B] Tabb caught 47 passes for 534 yards and five touchdowns in his career. He signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in May. [B]18. DB Charles Davis[/B] [B]High School:[/B] Neptune [B]College: [/B]Rutgers [B]Rating:[/B] 3 stars [B]Recap:[/B] Davis failed to qualify academically and never enrolled at Rutgers. [B]19. OL Shane Mertz[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Raritan [B]College:[/B] Northwestern [B]Rating: [/B]3 stars [B]Recap:[/B] Mertz, who is entering his redshirt senior season, has appeared in 16 career games on special teams and as a reserve tackle. [B]20. LB Andrew Campolattano[/B] [B]High School: [/B]Bound Brook [B]College:[/B] Ohio State/Rutgers [B]Rating: [/B]3 stars [B]Recap:[/B] A four-time state champion wrestler in high school, Campolattano chose to wrestle in college. He began his career at Ohio State before transferring to Rutgers in 2014. [B]Notable recruits outside the top 20:[/B] •21. DE Shilique Calhoun: Michigan State •26. QB Mike Bimonte: Rutgers •28. DT Daryl Stephenson: Rutgers •29. LB Cole Farrand: Maryland [/QUOTE]

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