Rutgers Scarlet Knights Add Powerful DL with Plenty of Attention
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights closed out another recruiting weekend strong with a defensive piece that has been gaining steam recently.
Three-star defensive lineman Jermaine Polk announced his commitment to Rutgers following a visit over the weekend. He is now the 21st commit for Rutgers in a class that ranked in the Top 20 nationally.
Polk is now the first defensive line commit in the 2026 class. He joins a strong core of defensive players, including linebackers J.J. Edwards, Adam Shaw, and Joey Kopec.
Polk narrowed his list to six finalists with four coming out of the Big Ten. He chose the Scarlet Knights over Iowa, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Boston College, and Iowa State.
According to 247Sports, Polk is ranked as the 26th overall player in Ohio and 73rd defensive lineman overall. He has switched back and forth, showing great versatility along the line, but projects as a tackle at the collegiate level.
Rutgers first offered Polk on June 2 and he decided to commit to a visit soon after. Just one week after receiving his offer, Polk committed to head coach Greg Schiano and defensive tackles coach Charlie Noonan.
The Scarlet Knights took a step back defensively last season. This came after it has turned into a strength for the team in recent years. Schaino is looking to keep that reputation in good standing moving forward.
The Scarlet Knights will begin the season on Aug. 28 against Ohio. It will mark the second straight year Rutgers will begin the season on a Thursday night.
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Greg Patuto is a sports writer who covers College Football, College Basketball, MLB, and NBA. He previously worked as Managing Editor at SB Nation's On The Banks, covering Rutgers Athletics, and has also been featured on Fox Sports, NJ.com, ClutchPoints, and FanSided. Greg enjoys spending time with his family while rooting for the Washington Commanders and New York Mets.