The Rutgers perspective on Dwayne Haskins' announcement

Read our side of the Q&A here.

1) For the Maryland fan unfamiliar with Haskins' recruitment. Why is Rutgers even in this?

There are a few reasons Rutgers fans are optimistic about our chances.  First, Haskins grew up in Highland Park, New Jersey, parts of which are literally in the shadow of Rutgers stadium - it's the next town over from Piscataway.  Haskins moved to Maryland in middle school, but he has said in several interviews that he considers New Jersey to be his home state.  Haskins also has several personal ties to the Rutgers program - Rutgers standout and current Cincinnati Bengal WR Mohammed Sanu coached him in youth football, and he is very close to current Knight commits Mo Jabbie (Sanu's nephew) and Jon Pollock.  Sanu and Jabbie have accompanied him on several of his visits to Rutgers. 

2) How confident are Rutgers fan feeling with this?

Haskins has made a ton of visits to Rutgers and New Jersey recently, and that has certainly amped up the excitement in the fan base.  However, I wouldn't say Rutgers fans are all that optimistic about landing Haskins - we have simply been burned too many times when we get excited about blue chip local recruits, and we are constantly worried about Lucy yanking away the metaphorical football at the last minute.  I would say "guardedly optimistic."

3) After another local boy, Jarrett Guarantano, spurned Rutgers for a different option (Tennessee), where would Kyle Flood turn at QB if Haskins does the same?

Rutgers has one other offer out to a QB, and all indications are it has always been a "committable" offer, despite Rutgers' ongoing efforts to recruit Guarantano and Haskins - Anthony Russo of Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, PA, outside Philly.  The staff apparently really likes Russo, and I am impressed by his highlights too.  Big frame, powerful arm, and he plays in a pro-style set like Rutgers does, against tough competition in the Philadelphia suburbs.  Rutgers has taken a few kids from Archbishop Wood in the past. Other QBs who would see increased attention from Rutgers include Steven Duncan (Charleston, SC); Shamir White (Wayne, NJ); Anthony Brown (Holmdel, NJ) and Jacob Hallenbeck (West Hartford, CT).

4) Have any rumors emerged from Haskins' two recent visits to Piscataway?

On the most recent visit, Haskins apparently came up solely to visit some friends (including some current Rutgers players), and had little or no contact with the staff.  The week before, he attended the Scarlet/White spring game, with more than a hundred other recruits.  Not much in the way of rumors from either visit, but Rutgers fans took a purely social visit as a good thing, showing a level of comfort with Rutgers.  Any time you get a prized recruit on campus two consecutive weekends, it is hard not to see it as a positive.  He has also visited a number of other times in 2015, including a private one-on-one session with new OC Ben McDaniels, who is replacing the Fridge this year, to show him how he would fit in Rutgers offense.

5) What's your final prediction?

I think he spurns both home-town schools, and goes to Florida. That would be painful, but I think a lot of Rutgers fans would sign up to personally help him move to Gainesville, so long as he does not end up in State College for the next 3-5 years.