Rutgers Scarlet Knights Flip Three-Star Safety from Toledo
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights continue to bolster the defensive side of the ball.
On Sunday, head coach Greg Schiano received a commitment from three-star safety Rihyael Kelley. He committed to Toledo on May 9 but scheduled an official visit shortly after when Schiano sent an offer.
Kelley is currently ranked as the 40th overall player in Ohio and 81st safety nationally, according to 247Sports Composite. Kelly received offers from Bowling Green, James Madison, Marshall, Temple, UMass, West Virginia, and Vanderbilt, among others.
Kelley spoke with The Knight Report about his decision.
"The safeties coach stopped by to see me practice the other day and then he came back for an in-home visit," Kelley said. "It was great. We talked about football obviously and some of my hobbies. Basically his message was that I need to eat more protein so that way I feel more confident going against bigger competition."
Kelley is now the third safety to commit from the 2026 class. He joins Sebastian Cruz and Chris Hewitt Jr. Kelley has played both safety positions during his time at Winton Woods High School.
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.