Rutgers Scarlet Knights Beat Out Power Programs for 3-Star DL
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights landed a big fish along the defensive line on Wednesday.
Three-star defensive tackle Tavian Branch announced his decision to commit to Rutgers. He is the 23rd commit in the 2026 class, which now ranks ninth nationally.
Branch held 24 offers but narrowed his list of finalists down to five. He chose the Scarlet Knights over Alabama, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma.
The 6-foot-4 tackle is currently ranked as the 23rd overall player in Pennsylvania and 82nd defensive lineman in the nation, according to 247Sports Composite. As a junior at Riverside High School, Branch totaled 65 tackles, 25 for loss, 10.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He used his size and athleticism to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks at a high rate.
Rutgers initially had Branch on campus on May 30 where he had the chance to meet with head coach Greg Schiano and others. Branch spoke with The Knight Report about this visit.
"The visit went well," Branch said. "My favorite part was spending time with Coach Schiano. He just kept telling me how much of a priority I am for them. He also went onto tell me about the staff's plan on how they would use me."
Branch is now the second commit along the defensive line in 2026, joining Jermaine Polk.
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.
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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.