Football New Jersey Prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft

[Richie O]

New Jersey Prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft

Here's a look at all the New Jersey natives in the 2026 NFL Draft and where they rank among their position groups.

www.on3.com

 

[mdk02]

Not a banner year for NJ talent.

 

[Scarlet4Shore]

I thought Tywone Malone was supposed to be the next big thing out of high school.

 

[RU Jeep]

The fact is that NJ football talent is OK, but highly overrated here and by causal fans in NJ.

We should be much more excited by getting a top 100 FLA player than a top 20 NJ player.

But people continue to push the sad narrative - "if only Rutgers could keep NJ talent home..."

It is simply not true (and we are not going to be able to do that anyway).

 

[HSfootballCoach07]

The fact is that NJ football talent is OK, but highly overrated here and by causal fans in NJ.

We should be much more excited by getting a top 100 FLA player than a top 20 NJ player.

But people continue to push the sad narrative - "if only Rutgers could keep NJ talent home..."

It is simply not true (and we are not going to be able to do that anyway).

I think we’re around 10-14 range in terms of talent nationally. We usually have players that’ll tank very very high high but depth wise we can’t compete with the Cali’s, Texas, Florida, Georgia, etc etc.

 

[RUTGERS95]

The fact is that NJ football talent is OK, but highly overrated here and by causal fans in NJ.

We should be much more excited by getting a top 100 FLA player than a top 20 NJ player.

But people continue to push the sad narrative - "if only Rutgers could keep NJ talent home..."

It is simply not true (and we are not going to be able to do that anyway).

I don't know about that. NJ had 8 last year which is still 9th overall. 7 undrafted which is 8th. True it was a down year but let's wait and see how this draft plays out. Rember, it's ebb and flows

 

[RUforJERSEY]

I think we’re around 10-14 range in terms of talent nationally. We usually have players that’ll tank very very high high but depth wise we can’t compete with the Cali’s, Texas, Florida, Georgia, etc etc.

Well I was driving around in Cobb County, Georgia where I live yesterday and just so happened across a field full of kids having a full on football practice. In full pads. In mid-late April. You won't see that up in Jersey so that certainly helps.

 

[RU Jeep]

I don't know about that. NJ had 8 last year which is still 9th overall. 7 undrafted which is 8th. True it was a down year but let's wait and see how this draft plays out. Rember, it's ebb and flows

I don't think we substantially disagree.

NJ is 8 / 9 according to what you mention... perhaps 10/11/12 is equally fair which is the range is for NJ using all draft picks over the last decade (total 70). It should also be noted that the top 4 states (Fla - 299, Tx - 298 , Cali - 219, Ga - 209) have produced 40 % of the total NFL picks over that time. NJ has produced about 2.5%.

So it is clear that NJs total numbers are a long way from the top which proves that NJ talent itself cannot support a top college team. If you want to be successful and emphasize local recruiting (the easiest kind) then you'd be much better off in other states.

 

[Bueller]

There was a 10 year period where a substantial number of HS players vanished because their mommies didn't want them to play (concussion hysteria). That was probably more true in a state like NJ than FL, TX, GA. Ohio etc. The missing players have been coming back in recent years

 

[mdk02]

The fact is that NJ football talent is OK, but highly overrated here and by causal fans in NJ.

We should be much more excited by getting a top 100 FLA player than a top 20 NJ player.

But people continue to push the sad narrative - "if only Rutgers could keep NJ talent home..."

It is simply not true (and we are not going to be able to do that anyway).

Not necessarily so. It depends on the year. There have been years where there have been 3 or 4 NJ players taken in the first round, even in the Top 20. And in a typical year a Top 20 NJ recruit would be well ahead of a #90-100 Florida recruit. In terms of depth, NJ has 1/3 to 1/4 quarter of the population of a lot of prime states like Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania or California. Of course they have more talent. Louisiana is an outlier in that respect. But name me another Northeast state (unless you include Pa.) where there is an equal (even on a pro rate basis) amount of talent.

 

[50 yd line RR]

There was a 10 year period where a substantial number of HS players vanished because their mommies didn't want them to play (concussion hysteria). That was probably more true in a state like NJ than FL, TX, GA. Ohio etc. The missing players have been coming back in recent years

Their mommies? Harry Carson HOF stated he wouldn’t want his grand kids playing!
Obama
when President came out against youth football.
Look how many ex football players are in bad shape.
They are working on better helmets and better tackling methods but bottom line when you your body and brain is going at that velocity and has a sudden stop with collision.
That could be some short and/or long term issues.
Football as a sport has a problem.
Less kids are playing. Youth programs are going under.
Couple that with the latest demographics in NJ. There is a serious drop in participation.
JP Stevens ( Edison)was a powerhouse now they barely field a team.
Highland Park a school that produced Bruce Presley and LJ Smith has the bare minimum of players .The same is true for South River.
It goes on and on. In central Jersey that’s just what it is.

 

[Rutgers Chris]

Their mommies? Harry Carson HOF stated he wouldn’t want his grand kids playing!
Obama
when President came out against youth football.
Look how many ex football players are in bad shape.
They are working on better helmets and better tackling methods but bottom line when you your body and brain is going at that velocity and has a sudden stop with collision.
That could be some short and/or long term issues.
Football as a sport has a problem.
Less kids are playing. Youth programs are going under.
Couple that with the latest demographics in NJ. There is a serious drop in participation.
JP Stevens ( Edison)was a powerhouse now they barely field a team.
Highland Park a school that produced Bruce Presley and LJ Smith has the bare minimum of players .The same is true for South River.
It goes on and on. In central Jersey that’s just what it is.

There’s a lot of demographic factors in the schools you mention not having enough players too.

 

[Bueller]

Their mommies? Harry Carson HOF stated he wouldn’t want his grand kids playing!
Obama
when President came out against youth football.
Look how many ex football players are in bad shape.
They are working on better helmets and better tackling methods but bottom line when you your body and brain is going at that velocity and has a sudden stop with collision.
That could be some short and/or long term issues.
Football as a sport has a problem.
Less kids are playing. Youth programs are going under.
Couple that with the latest demographics in NJ. There is a serious drop in participation.
JP Stevens ( Edison)was a powerhouse now they barely field a team.
Highland Park a school that produced Bruce Presley and LJ Smith has the bare minimum of players .The same is true for South River.
It goes on and on. In central Jersey that’s just what it is.

Girls in HS sports get more knee injuries and concussions than boys. Cheerleaders can really get jacked.

Carson says he had 15 concussions and if that's true (and he's never explicitly said he had CTE) then he was like Tom Savage who obviously had bad concussion issues. Some guys have bad knees, some bad backs and some concussion history. Nothing unusual about that variety. I don't doubt some advanced player can have any type of issue. There has been intentional FUD (fear, uncertainty and despair) over football (called "male hegemony" by the purples). Even mild bumps were called "concussions" because the former 5 level index of severity got made into 1 level which was farcical (but good for courts).

Personally, like Carson, I don't like pre-teen football. I could also see certain positions being avoided in college and pros (OL - most injured spot because even teammates fall on backs of legs). Nobody should play in college where there is no scholarship. High school football however is actually pretty tame. In my four years I saw a guy break his arm in practice (saw in a pole vaulter do it too) and that was it. College is waaay different even in D3.

The mommies who made their sons quit football were the suburban, wine moms with degrees (they fall hard for word "study") who fear plastic bags more than their sons getting drugged-up by schools. The good news is that the suburban sons are coming back the last few years. The missing guys were a larger number than people know.

Keep in mind too much sugar, drugs, alcohol and such also increase brain damage and tau proteins. Its easier to blame concusions. Junior Seau and some other notorious "CTE" types used in media had very destructive personable lives. But some like Carson also played when plastic helmets were new and lined with canvas supports. Those were trashy helmets nobody uses anymore .

High school girls have a significantly higher concussion rate than boys, with female soccer players suffering the most concussions, according to new research presented today at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Female soccer players suffer the most concussions in high school sports​

Female soccer players suffer the most concussions in high school sports

High school girls have a significantly higher concussion rate than boys, with female soccer players suffering the most concussions, according to new research.

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[50 yd line RR]

There’s a lot of demographic factors in the schools you mention not having enough players too.

You are right. That too is a major factor.

 

[50 yd line RR]

Girls in HS sports get more knee injuries and concussions than boys. Cheerleaders can really get jacked.

Carson says he had 15 concussions and if that's true (and he's never explicitly said he had CTE) then he was like Tom Savage who obviously had bad concussion issues. Some guys have bad knees, some bad backs and some concussion history. Nothing unusual about that variety. I don't doubt some advanced player can have any type of issue. There has been intentional FUD (fear, uncertainty and despair) over football (called "male hegemony" by the purples). Even mild bumps were called "concussions" because the former 5 level index of severity got made into 1 level which was farcical (but good for courts).

Personally, like Carson, I don't like pre-teen football. I could also see certain positions being avoided in college and pros (OL - most injured spot because even teammates fall on backs of legs). Nobody should play in college where there is no scholarship. High school football however is actually pretty tame. In my four years I saw a guy break his arm in practice (saw in a pole vaulter do it too) and that was it. College is waaay different even in D3.

The mommies who made their sons quit football were the suburban, wine moms with degrees (they fall hard for word "study") who fear plastic bags more than their sons getting drugged-up by schools. The good news is that the suburban sons are coming back the last few years. The missing guys were a larger number than people know.

Keep in mind too much sugar, drugs, alcohol and such also increase brain damage and tau proteins. Its easier to blame concusions. Junior Seau and some other notorious "CTE" types used in media had very destructive personable lives. But some like Carson also played when plastic helmets were new and lined with canvas supports. Those were trashy helmets nobody uses anymore .

High school girls have a significantly higher concussion rate than boys, with female soccer players suffering the most concussions, according to new research presented today at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Female soccer players suffer the most concussions in high school sports​

Female soccer players suffer the most concussions in high school sports

High school girls have a significantly higher concussion rate than boys, with female soccer players suffering the most concussions, according to new research.

www.sciencedaily.com

An eye opener for me was Tony Dorsett.
I remember him talking about Earl Campbell.
“Why didn’t he just run out of bounds” !
Ironically Tony Dorsett did run out of bounds but he too has problems.

 

[Bueller]

An eye opener for me was Tony Dorsett.
I remember him talking about Earl Campbell.
“Why didn’t he just run out of bounds” !
Ironically Tony Dorsett did run out of bounds but he too has problems.

True. I know a retired Pro Browl OL from NFL who had a couple dozen surgeries. He said he would play again but not be as reckless. Its also true there are roofers, masons and carpenters who cant move well and have metal joints (they aren't doing autographs either).

Campbell brings up a possibility that the big, strong players can suffer more because a lot of the impact on their bodies that came from them being built up a lot. A 195lb back benching 225 8X wont damage himself as much as a 233 lb back benching 225 29x like Barkley. I always figured Barkley would be injured more because he was a heavy lifter and built-up. I consider "lifting to failure" a road to injuries from overstressing. I think compact backs like Rice and Monangai survive punishment better. Just having shorter limbs keeps them safter