Official Jalen Berger Recruiting Thread

[ScarletStateofNJ]

Jalen Berger is announcing where he is committing to in a little more than two weeks.

He’ll be announcing his choice on national TV at the All-America Bowl on Jan 4.

Right now it seems that the top two are Rutgers and Wisconsin in a toss up with UCLA in the mix after an OV a couple of days ago.

Discuss. Let’s get this stud here to lead Rutgers into the Roaring Twenties!

 

[Eagleton95.99]

I'm sure I speak for everyone in saying I really hope we get him, he'll do great here, it will be huge for RU and NJ, and the Rutgers community and state will remember him for his leadership. And it will be huge for setting us up for the 2021 class.

Not sure of how much more there is to discuss though!

 

[Doctor Worm]

I'm sure I speak for everyone in saying I really hope we get him, he'll do great here, it will be huge for RU and NJ, and the Rutgers community and state will remember him for his leadership. And it will be huge for setting us up for the 2021 class.

Not sure of how much more there is to discuss though!

Yeah really, what is there to say! We all want him and hope we get him, but the lure of NJ Running Back U could be tough to overcome.

 

[NYSportsFan]

this feels a lot like AD all over to me. Have a good feeling about it (no inside knowledge, which no one has inside knowledge of a 17 year old's mind haha) but the way things are trending for us, i feel good about this.

 

[Dpgru]

Hopefully he and his buddy (KM) keep talking and Berger gets an earful of how great RU is. It would be a great day to see him put on that hat on national tv.

 

[RUHouston]

He'd be key in cementing us being RUNNING BACK U!!!!

Talk about a stable of quality backs!!!

It'll be nice to be one of those teams we usually deal with that keeps, literally, running fresh quality running backs down our throats and do it to someone else for a change!!!

 

[Morrischiano2]

I would probably put LSU in the mix too but I think that it will ultimately be between RU and Wisconsin (who doesn’t have a RB in the 2020 class).

On the field, Berger compares to Christian McCaffrey. Off the field, both he and Kyle Monangai are great hard working, high character kids. You won’t meet a better kid than Kyle.

If anyone can convince him to stay, it will be GS.

 

[yesrutgers01]

He pushes our class to a different level. Greg needs to win this battle.

 

[Kbee3]

It pains me to say it, but...Wisconsin.

 

[NickRU714]

I'm assuming he would most likely redshirt next year?

Would he jump ahead of Pacheco, Adams and Young? Not even counting Blackshear and incoming KM.

 

[yesrutgers01]

It pains me to say it, but...Wisconsin.

I wouldn’t have expected anything else...

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Having the #1 player in the state commit to Rutgers could change the way future high level recruits look at Rutgers.

So him coming huge could he huge not just because he is a great player but for long game as well.

Lets hope he comes here , we need him WAY MORE than those other schools.

 

[DHajekRC84]

I would love for Rutgers to find a way to get back at Wisky for raiding our top running backs.
Not sure what it would be but in the corp. world that stuff is met with an equal threat to the other company's equity.

 

[beaced_rivals]

I'm sure I speak for everyone in saying I really hope we get him, he'll do great here, it will be huge for RU and NJ, and the Rutgers community and state will remember him for his leadership. And it will be huge for setting us up for the 2021 class.

Not sure of how much more there is to discuss though!

When he gets here it will be the first time that RU has gotten the two starting RB's from the same school.Especially noteworthy that it is Don Bosco.

 

[beaced_rivals]

It pains me to say it, but...Wisconsin.

There,there.That didn't really hurt too much ,did it?

 

[sct1111]

I think he most likely ends up in Wisconsin but it's not 100%. More like 60/40.

 

[RUforlife]

He can make it to the next level from any of those three schools, Rutgers, Wisconsin, or UCLA. All depends on whether the kid wants to devote his college career helping a program rebuild in the toughest division in college football at the expense of possibly never playing in a major bow,l or if he wants to go to an established program which will have a very good chance of making it to multiple Rose Bowls in his career, or a program that is also in a rebuilding mode but plays in a weaker division and has a history of success and playing in Rose Bowls. It takes a very special kid to choose the toughest of the three paths, but who knows, maybe he will be special.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

bowls? He can go to the NFL from Rutgers. That is the end game.

 

[R house]

RU Pros -

1. Be a freaking hometown hero forever in NJ
2. Family friends at the games
3. Schiano takes care of his guys
4. National attention for the turnaround
5. Rutgers is a fun college town
6. Hot girls from all backgrounds
7. This place will be unbelievably crazy in a couple years, with professional athletes and celebrities on the sidelines. Can’t beat NYC marketing.

Cons Wisc -
1. Freaking cold
2. Freaking cold
3. Freaking cold
4. Girls show zero skin
5. Just another number over there
6. No special turnaround.
7. Cow tipping on weekends.
8. No family to help you through the boring times, which is every day out there.
9. Very little diversity in Wisconsin.
10. Freaking cold

 

[RUinPAC10land]

RU Pros -

1. Be a freaking hometown hero forever in NJ
2. Family friends at the games
3. Schiano takes care of his guys
4. National attention for the turnaround
5. Rutgers is a fun college town
6. Hot girls from all backgrounds
7. This place will be unbelievably crazy in a couple years, with professional athletes and celebrities on the sidelines. Can’t beat NYC marketing.

Cons Wisc -
1. Freaking cold
2. Freaking cold
3. Freaking cold
4. Girls show zero skin
5. Just another number over there
6. No special turnaround.
7. Cow tipping on weekends.
8. No family to help you through the boring times, which is every day out there.
9. Very little diversity in Wisconsin.
10. Freaking cold

Maybe he likes cheese.

 

[czxqa]

We still don't have a running backs coach. A home run hire could tip the scales our way.

 

[realhoops2]

He'd be key in cementing us being RUNNING BACK U!!!!

Talk about a stable of quality backs!!!

It'll be nice to be one of those teams we usually deal with that keeps, literally, running fresh quality running backs down our throats and do it to someone else for a change!!!

Running back U??? RU has a long way to go before taking that title from UGA

 

[wcicci]

Running back U??? RU has a long way to go before taking that title from UGA

There are quite a few schools that have a far better RB tradition than Rutgers. RU isn’t in the same class as Georgia or multiple schools in the Northeast.

 

[Eagleton95.99]

RU Pros -

1. Be a freaking hometown hero forever in NJ
2. Family friends at the games
3. Schiano takes care of his guys
4. National attention for the turnaround
5. Rutgers is a fun college town
6. Hot girls from all backgrounds
7. This place will be unbelievably crazy in a couple years, with professional athletes and celebrities on the sidelines. Can’t beat NYC marketing.

Cons Wisc -
1. Freaking cold
2. Freaking cold
3. Freaking cold
4. Girls show zero skin
5. Just another number over there
6. No special turnaround.
7. Cow tipping on weekends.
8. No family to help you through the boring times, which is every day out there.
9. Very little diversity in Wisconsin.
10. Freaking cold

Pro for RU vs. Wisconsin - you can be an African American and not stand out or have people just assume you are there to play sports.

 

[RUSK97]

There,there.That didn't really hurt too much ,did it?

It does hurt! We need to break the Jersey RB to Wisconsin trend. Dayne, Clement, Taylor.

 

[RUSK97]

Pro for RU vs. Wisconsin - you can be an African American and not stand out or have people just assume you are there to play sports.

It’s sad but true. Been there often the last 2-3 years. On a campus that big, it’s shocking how few African Americans there are. I wouldn’t say there isn’t any racial diversity though. I saw quite a few Asians/Asian-Americans there.

 

[LETSGORU91_]

There are quite a few schools that have a far better RB tradition than Rutgers. RU isn’t in the same class as Georgia or multiple schools in the Northeast.

If we kept Saquon Barkley and Johathan Taylor we would be able to do a little more chIrping about running backs at Rutgers.

 

[jerzeyguy]

Greg needs to win this battle. If he's the master & super recruiter - this board claims he is..

 

[Eagleton95.99]

It’s sad but true. Been there often the last 2-3 years. On a campus that big, it’s shocking how few African Americans there are. I wouldn’t say there isn’t any racial diversity though. I saw quite a few Asians/Asian-Americans there.

Statistically it's among the whitest public schools. And within the non-white population, as you say, its more Asian and very little AA. Diversity and acceptance is one of the things I liked about RU and NJ in general.

 

[RUtrumpet92_rivals498139]

Multiple Rose Bowls? Not likely. The Rose will host semifinals next year and again in 2024 (assuming the three year cycle runs through at least 2024). Very doubtful Wisconsin is in the playoffs next year. That would leave two seasons where it is possible. The Badgers will appear this year but they hadn't been in the game since 2013. At best he may have one shot at the Rose Bowl. No Rose appearance for UCLA since 1999.

Stay home and be a standout close to home where your family can see you every week, or be another link in a chain at Wisconsin. He would get more love from RU fans for staying home than from Wisconsin fans for heading away IMO.

 

[Colbert17!]

After the national joke this program has become over the past few years Jalen picking RU will have an immeasurable impact.
Doing this at a HS All American game on national TV may cause some kids to pause and think "Maybe I should check out Rutgers?"

 

[Ru0822]

Im thinking Wisconsin. Schiano has been here less than a month and he’s done great but expectations need to be tempered a bit. If GS can pull this off that would be huge, but I’m not going to freak out if he doesn’t come here.

 

[ecojew]

Diversity is one of RU's greatest strengths. But I think that the OP wanted this to be a thread in which Rutgers fans show Jalen the love that he would feel if he does the right thing by joining us "on the Banks."

So hopefully, hundreds of us will run this thread to dozens of pages so that Jalen feels that love!

 

[Morrischiano2]

RU Pros -

1. Be a freaking hometown hero forever in NJ
2. Family friends at the games
3. Schiano takes care of his guys
4. National attention for the turnaround
5. Rutgers is a fun college town
6. Hot girls from all backgrounds
7. This place will be unbelievably crazy in a couple years, with professional athletes and celebrities on the sidelines. Can’t beat NYC marketing.

Cons Wisc -
1. Freaking cold
2. Freaking cold
3. Freaking cold
4. Girls show zero skin
5. Just another number over there
6. No special turnaround.
7. Cow tipping on weekends.
8. No family to help you through the boring times, which is every day out there.
9. Very little diversity in Wisconsin.
10. Freaking cold

Madison is not cow-country. Wisconsin is a pretty lake-side campus (but it is no UVA).

That being said, there’s no reason why Jalen can’t put up 5,000 yards at RU and be a top draft pick here.

It would be nice if Schiano has a great OC in place before next weekend.

 

[dvb91]

Rooting for Jalen to pick RU, but I'm thinking he goes to Wisky. We're a bit behind the 8 ball as GS has gotten in late and still hasn't hired an OC, let alone a RB coach or OL coach. He can lay out a plan of what he wants to do on offense, but currently has no one to help implement it, so Berger can't have the greatest feeling on how he will be used & helped to succeed.

Still would love to get Jalen, but I'd think it's more for PR & recruiting momentum vs a real boost in the RB room. We have some decent horses in the stable now but getting Jalen would definitely perk up the ears of future recruits.

 

[brookdale-soda]

Together with others, does he want to paint a vision in his mind and see it through by his senior year? Or be a cog in the wheel of a longstanding winner., easily replaced by another cog. 2 very different endeavors.

If he researches what schiano did the first time around, it's not hard to paint a picture of what it could be here.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Well, his best friend commited here so... that helps right?

 

[psuro]

FWIW, I think he is Rutgers bound.

 

[Anteid]

He can make it to the next level from any of those three schools, Rutgers, Wisconsin, or UCLA. All depends on whether the kid wants to devote his college career helping a program rebuild in the toughest division in college football at the expense of possibly never playing in a major bow,l or if he wants to go to an established program which will have a very good chance of making it to multiple Rose Bowls in his career, or a program that is also in a rebuilding mode but plays in a weaker division and has a history of success and playing in Rose Bowls. It takes a very special kid to choose the toughest of the three paths, but who knows, maybe he will be special.

Never playing in a Bowl lol

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

RU Pros -

1. Be a freaking hometown hero forever in NJ
2. Family friends at the games
3. Schiano takes care of his guys
4. National attention for the turnaround
5. Rutgers is a fun college town
6. Hot girls from all backgrounds
7. This place will be unbelievably crazy in a couple years, with professional athletes and celebrities on the sidelines. Can’t beat NYC marketing.

Cons Wisc -
1. Freaking cold
2. Freaking cold
3. Freaking cold
4. Girls show zero skin
5. Just another number over there
6. No special turnaround.
7. Cow tipping on weekends.
8. No family to help you through the boring times, which is every day out there.
9. Very little diversity in Wisconsin.
10. Freaking cold

Maybe

he’s into white chicks
It’s cold in NJ too
What if diversity doesn’t matter to him?
What if he wants to be elsewhere?
Wisconsin girls can be freaks too...