National Signing Day is here, which means we at On The Banks are following every signing in the Class of 2026! Next up is defense, as the Scarlet Knights have added a host of talented players to their defensive line, defensive backs, and linebackers!
Edge rusher Rinaldo Callaway III is the highest-rated defensive signee for Rutgers, according to 247. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound four-star from Georgia was originally committed to play for USF but flipped to Rutgers in early June. His longer frame makes him a good get for Rutgers on the edge. In addition to his commitment to South Florida, he also held offers from Kentucky, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech. Callaway only needed one visit to Rutgers to cancel all of his remaining official visits and flip his current commitment.
Rutgers is in desperate need of DT prospects, but they seem to have landed a good one in Jermaine Polk. Polk is listed as 6-foot-4, 265-pound, three-star according to 247sports. Defensive tackle coach Charlie Noonan was the point person in his recruitment and convinced him to commit just days after his offer was extended.
DL Reece Beck committed to Rutgers originally over schools such as UConn, Washington, and Oregon State. He is listed as a 6-foot-5, 250-pound three-star by 247sports. Beck has incredible strength, posting a 495-pound squat, a 280-pound clean, and a 255-pound bench rep in the weight room during the football season.
Linebacker Tanner Raymond’s commitment came very quickly, considering that Rutgers only offered him on June 13 when he started his official visit at Rutgers, and he committed on the 14th. He is listed as a 6-foot-3, 220-pound three-star according to 247sports. He also played basketball for his high school, Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut.
Linebacker Joey Kopec’s commitment was the first for then-new linebackers coach/co-defensive coordinator Zach Sparber. Kopeck is listed as 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, and is a three star prospect according to 247sports. Kopec’s main strength is his incredible speed. He runs a 4.43 40-yard dash. Due to his lighter weight of just 200 pounds and his speed, he looks to be more of a coverage linebacker than a run stopper.
Cornerback Brandon Murray earned his high school nickname, blurrr, for his incredible speed. In addition to playing high school football, he was a track runner, with his forty-yard dash time coming in at 4.55 seconds and his 100-meter dash time coming in at 10.89 seconds. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound prospect is listed as a high three-star according to 247sports.
Cornerback Devonte Anderson is the newest commit of the 2026 class, as he committed to Rutgers last Sunday. He was originally committed to play for Louisville before Rutgers flipped him at the last hour. He is listed as a 6-foot-1, 185-pound three-star.
Jamareis “JJ” Conyers was the second cornerback to commit to Rutgers this cycle. His 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame fits well with what Rutgers usually looks for at cornerback. He has long arms and great speed, which is the mold Rutgers has used to recruit cornerbacks, especially recently. He is listed as a three star.
Safety Sebastian Cruz is another signee with great speed. According to the 40 time listed on his HUDL profile, he runs a 4.4. When watching his film, in the few plays he does get caught out of position, he showed he had the speed to make up for it. He is listed as a 5-foot-10, 180-pound three-star on 247sports. Cruz chose Rutgers over Iowa State, SMU, and West Virginia.
