Tuesday, Rutgers became the first FBS program to offer Toms River (N.J.) North sophomore offensive lineman Najae Hallenbeck, whose head coach Dave Oizerowitz believes will have a fruitful recruitment due to a number of variables. Despite being new to the game, Hallenbeck has strong bloodlines, athleticism and the frame college coaches covet in future left tackles.
“He’s a basketball player by trade. His background, his whole family. His cousin is J.R. Smith (Of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers). His uncles, his cousins, they’re all basketball players,” Oizerowitz told NJ.com. “So he never played football until last year.