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Rutgers adds to impressive 2025 recruiting class with flip of former Penn State commit

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

Rutgers is not playing around on the recruiting trail. After reaching the program’s first bowl game of Greg Schiano’s 2nd tenure last season, the Scarlet Knights are riding that momentum with an impressive haul for the class of 2025.

On Sunday, Rutgers landed another elite prospect, pulling off a flip in the process. DJ McClary, a 4-star linebacker and in-state prospect for the Scarlet Knights, was originally committed to Penn State before flipping that pledge on social media.

McClary is listed at 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds out of Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City. He has no shortage of offers with Penn State and Rutgers joined by Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, and USC out of the B1G.

According to the 247 Sports Composite, McClary is a 4-star prospect and the 25th linebacker nationally for the cycle. He’s also the No. 4 player out of New Jersey, giving Rutgers another key prospect to stay home with the Scarlet Knights.

RELATED: Can Rutgers get back to a bowl game in 2024? ESPN Bet has set Rutgers’ win total this fall at 5.5, and fans can find the latest odds and offers with Tradition’s Maryland sports betting apps.

Impact for Rutgers

Rutgers is now up to 28 total hard commitments for the cycle, giving the Scarlet Knights an impressive haul with 6 of those players receiving a 4-star rating by the 247 Sports Composite. Tariq Hayer, a 4-star safety from Washington, DC, and Michael Thomas III, a 4-star in-state WR, give the Scarlet Knights a pair of top-200 players in the country.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, McClary is the 3rd ESPN300 player to commit to Rutgers. If all 3 sign, it will be the most such prospects in a single class in Rutgers’ history.

While recruiting rankings will change between now and the Early Signing Period, the Scarlet Knights currently have the 9th-ranked recruiting class in the country per the 247 Sports Team Composite. Ohio State, currently in possession of the nation’s No. 1 class, is the only other B1G program rated higher than Rutgers’.

Schiano proved during his first stint in New Jersey that he could develop the Scarlet Knights into a consistent program. Now, he’s entering his 5th season since returning, and he’s making major strides to keep the Scarlet Knights clicking on and off the field.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.