If Greg Schiano's departure did anything to damage the future of Rutgers football, it doesn't show on the recruiting trail. New head coach Kyle Flood has stepped in and kept a steady stream of three- and four-star players rolling into Piscataway.
Flood and the Scarlet Knights have already locked up commitments from 15 players, including a couple of four-star recruits and several who can play multiple positions. Rutgers will not want for athletes on either side of the ball, and its dominant defense -- which is fast becoming a trademark -- doesn't figure to suffer.
Here are the Scarlet Knights' three most important commitments to this point:
Chris Laviano, QB, Hicksville (N.Y.): Laviano is one of the top quarterbacks in New York, but he'll be walking into a situation at Rutgers where there is currently a battle between sophomore Gary Nova and sophomore Chas Dodd, with redshirt freshman Mike Bimonte waiting in the wings. Laviano, however, is not concerned about the depth chart. "You're going to face competition anywhere you go," he told the Star Ledger in June. "You've just got to choose the place that's best for you. You can't be afraid of competition."
Myles Nash, QB/DE, Erial (N.J.): Two-way players are not uncommon in the high school ranks, but Nash is a special case. He plays both quarterback and defensive end, and he may have a chance to play on the Rutgers defense. With a logjam developing at quarterback, Nash may be better served adding some bulk and finding his way on the other side of the ball. His size (6-4, 191) and athleticism will certainly be difficult to keep off the field.
Dontea Ayres, RB, Salisbury (Md.): Ayres is a load at 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds, and he'll likely come in as Jawan Jamison's backup. He could, however, be useful in wearing down opposing defenses as both he and Jamison -- as well as Savon Huggins -- can be punishing backs. With several quarterbacks already in the fold, the Scarlet Knights may look to ink a few more running backs for purposes of depth in the backfield.
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