Rutgers football brought in a fair number of players via the transfer portal to revamp its defense and boost its offensive depth. With spring camp just around the corner, there are a few transfers that stand above the rest to keep an eye out for in the early practices. Note: former South Dakota cornerback Mikey Munn and former Drake Linebacker Sean Allison were not considered for this list because they will miss camp due to signing too late to enroll for the spring semester.
No.1 QB Dylan Lonergan
This one is the low-hanging
fruit of the bunch as to why he should be kept an eye on in spring camp. He was brought in to compete for the starting quarterback job against AJ Surace for the most important position on the team. On top of that, he does have starting experience, albeit he hasn’t looked very good overall on tape. However, he has shown some flashes of brilliance, in particular his four-touchdown game against Michigan State last season, which brings up the question of how well he would do with a better receiving core, offensive line, and running game.
No.2 DT Rondo Porter
Porter, who came to Rutgers from Appalachian State, is one of the few players that Rutgers recruited in the portal who has Power Four experience, as he appeared in four games for South Carolina in 2024. Over those four games, he recorded seven total tackles, five solo, one sack, and one forced fumble. Last year at Appalachian State, he recorded 43 total tackles, 18 solo, and two sacks. On3 rated him the 14th-best defensive tackle in the transfer portal. The Knights’ interior defensive line was one of the worst units on the team last season and they will be looking for a defensive tackle who can stand next to Doug Blue-Eli, who did not play a snap last year due to injury despite winning the starting role in practice. With Porter already having power four experience and being a standout at the lower level, he should have a leg up in earning that second starting role.
No.3 Zahmir Dawud
Rutgers will be looking to replace every starter in its cornerback room from last season, as they all either aged out or entered the transfer portal. Dawud is considered one of the best cornerbacks that the Knights picked up in the portal, earning second-team all-CAA honors this past season at Villanova. According to Pro Football Focus, he was targeted 31 times and gave up 22 receptions for 234 yards and two touchdowns, while finishing the season with 44 total tackles, 11 passes broken up, and 2 interceptions. He had a good game against Penn State last season, and recorded 3 tackles, 1 interception, and one pass defended in the Wildcats FCS playoff game against Illinois State last season. With Rutgers needing to name three new starting corners this off-season, don’t be surprised if Dawud’s name is in the mix early on.
