Rutgers has 10 players on the Shriners Children’s East-West Bowl 1000 Watch List, a group the organization says represents the 1000 players it believes have the best shot at reaching the NFL next season and are eligible for this year’s Shriners Children’s East-West Bowl.
The Scarlet Knights on the list are OL Kwabena Asamoah, DL J’Dan Burnett, DL Malachi Davis, WR KJ Duff, QB Dylan Lonergan, LB Ty Morris, OL Tyler Needham, DL Rondo Porter, RB Antwan Raymond and DB Kaj Sanders.
For Asamoah, Duff and Raymond, the recognition fits the pattern. Those three have already shown up on plenty of preseason watch lists, so this latest nod doesn’t come out of nowhere.
Rutgers’ defensive front is especially well represented here, with three linemen on the watch list - two EDGE players and one defensive tackle - and all three arrived as transfers. Burnett came over from Tulsa after posting 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last season.
Davis transferred in from Toledo, where he put together a nearly identical year, finishing with 9.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and third-team All-MAC honors. Porter joined Rutgers after last season at Appalachian State, where he logged 43 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks.
The list also includes transfer linebacker Ty Morris and safety Kaj Sanders. Morris was productive at Rice last season, piling up 88 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Sanders is looking to rebound under a new coaching staff after a tough season in which he finished with 37 tackles and one pass defended.
On offense, the other names are quarterback Dylan Lonergan and offensive lineman Tyler Needham. Needham has been around the program for a while, appearing in 32 games for Rutgers. Even while serving as the team’s third option at left tackle last season and dealing with injuries, he held his own and carved out a spot as one of the more reliable pieces in the offensive line rotation.
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