Knights Under Lights: Tyler Kroft
In Knights Under Lights, The Daily Targum looks at athletes who distinguished themselves during their time on the Banks.
Tyler Kroft was just a two-year starter for the Rutgers football team, but rest assured, he stamped his name in the fabric of the program.
The tight end finished with 70 catches and 901 receiving yards in his time on the Banks before parlaying that into becoming a third-round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Interestingly enough, Kroft is one of the few players who played as part of different conferences during his three-year tenure with the Scarlet Knights. He started his college career in the final season of the Big East football conference in 2012. Although Kroft wasn't high up on the depth chart as a redshirt freshman, he was able to show flashes of his talent in limited opportunities, as seen by his touchdown reception in a game against Syracuse.
In Kroft's sophomore season, Rutgers joined the American Athletic Conference (AAC). In the Knights' lone year in the AAC, Kroft broke out and had his best season donning the scarlet and white. Leading the team with 573 receiving yards and 43 receptions granted Kroft an honorable mention on Sports Illustrated's All-American team that year.
As a junior at Rutgers, national recognition continued to flow. Kroft started the season on the Mackey Award preseason watch list for the best tight end in the country and was also picked for the Second Team Preseason All-Big Ten in the program's inaugural Big Ten campaign. He placed himself at third on the team in receptions as the Knights finished 8-5 with a Quick Lane Bowl victory.
Kroft's skill set along, with his 6-foot-6 frame, made him a sought-after talent in the draft. It was the Cincinnati Bengals who first took a chance on the kid from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, with a mid-round selection, 85th overall.
In 30 games combined for the Bengals in his first two years as a pro, Kroft totaled just north of 200 receiving yards. He had his best season in 2017, finding the endzone seven times and racking up more than 400 yards on 42 receptions. His redzone prowess put opposing defenses on edge.
Following four years in Cincinnati, Kroft moved to the cold confines of Buffalo for two seasons before returning back to New Jersey for the New York Jets in 2021. In three seasons in the AFC East division, Kroft racked up 363 yards, snagged 34 passes and scored four times. In 2022, Kroft traveled west to play in San Francisco before making a quick stop in Miami the following year.
After exactly 100 game appearances and a nine-year career in the NFL, Kroft is currently a free agent. It remains to be seen if he has played his last game of football.
If it is the end for the tight end, then he has made Rutgers extremely proud. Just like the many pro Knights before him, he has represented not only the football program but also the University with his on-field accolades, leadership and perseverance.
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