Future of Rutgers football 2024: Defensive backs
The Rutgers football team is once again looking to build off a strong 2023 season, and a dominant defense under third-year defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak will likely be the backbone. In the seventh edition of Future of Rutgers Football, The Daily Targum previews the 2024 defensive back room.
At the cornerback position, the Scarlet Knights lose a major piece but still retain plenty of talent. After three great years at Rutgers, former junior defensive back Max Melton is off to the NFL Draft and will likely be a Day 2 pick after an impressive performance in the NFL Draft Combine. In his place will likely be senior defensive back Eric Rogers.
Originally hailing from Burlington, New Jersey, Rogers transferred in from Northern Illinois prior to the 2023 season and was a good option as a rotational corner behind Melton. He also made splash plays on special teams, recovering a blocked punt for a touchdown against Indiana and blocking another punt against Maryland. He is a reliable option with the talent to have a great final season on the Banks.
On the opposite side of the field, senior defensive back Robert Longerbeam also returns as the Knights' top corner. He was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention for his efforts in 2023 and chose to return to Rutgers for his final year of eligibility. Longerbeam ranked second in the Big Ten in pass breakups, and figures to be another key piece to the defense with his length and quick hands in the passing game.
The Knights also return both of their starting safeties from the 2023 season, as senior defensive backs Flip Dixon and Desmond Igbinosun are back for their respective final seasons.
Dixon transferred in from Minnesota and immediately became a fan favorite due to his aggressive playstyle and ball-tracking ability. Another All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, Dixon was listed as the No. 12 safety in the Big Ten by Pro Football Focus. There is no reason to believe that Dixon will slow down his production, as he was another player getting NFL looks before he opted to return.
Igbinosun may be considered the "weak link" of Rutgers' starters in the secondary, but that is more of a testament to the development of the room than a negative note on Igbinosun's play. He excels in the box as a bigger safety, working downhill in the run game and serving as almost an extra linebacker on certain plays. His coverage skills have developed nicely as well, but he is at his best when closer to the line of scrimmage.
Another returner in the safety room is senior defensive back Shaquan Loyal. The Newark, New Jersey product is another player with a big-play tendency, as he recorded a pick-six in the Knights' 2022 win over Temple and blocked the aforementioned punt against Indiana, on which Rogers scored a touchdown on. Loyal will see time in three-safety packages as a hard hitter and athletic coverage safety for his final year.
Behind the main starters lies ample depth in the cornerback and safety room. Fighting for the third cornerback spot will likely be sophomore defensive back Bo Mascoe and senior defensive back Al-Shadee Salaam.
Mascoe did not see game action until the Pinstripe Bowl but recorded two tackles against Miami, while Salaam switched to the defensive side of the ball after playing running back. Both are still adjusting to their new circumstances but have higher ceilings to contribute as a depth piece.
Senior defensive back Joe Lusardi is likely to be the frontrunner for main backup safety. Lusardi was named a team captain for the 2023 season and has played well as a depth piece when called upon on defense and special teams. He figures to be another veteran piece on the defense. Sophomore defensive back Jessie Ofurie is another contender, switching to defensive back after spending his freshman season as a wide receiver.
Another key special-teamer in the defensive back room is senior Timmy Ward. Ward's story is one for the ages, as he survived Hodgkin's lymphoma and suffered a torn ACL in high school.
He joined the program as an equipment manager in 2021 before earning a tryout and making the team as a walk-on. He has scored two touchdowns in his career, both on blocked punts against Michigan and the Hurricanes. He will continue to be a senior leader on a special teams unit that head coach Greg Schiano values as highly as any coach in the country.
Schiano and his staff also brought in a sizable haul of freshmen defensive backs in the 2024 recruiting class. Freshman safety Kaj Sanders, arguably the crown jewel of the class, could have the highest ceiling of anyone on the defense as a three-star super-athlete from Bergen Catholic High School.
There is optimism that the secondary could be the two best position groups on the entire team. Cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey enters his third season with the program and has done an excellent job recruiting and developing talent, and if there is one thing Schiano knows, it is how to get players — particularly in the secondary — ready for the NFL.
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