Darius Hamilton, the No. 11 rated recruit according to Rivals, has committed to Rutgers, announcing the news on MSGVarsity.com Tuesday night, hours before National Signing Day 2012 commenced. Hamilton, who played for Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J. and earned National Defensive Player of the Year honors last month, chose Rutgers over Florida and Miami, the two other finalists for his services.
"I just feel like, in my heart, that's where I want to be," said Hamilton. "Its a great place and we got a heck of a recruiting class this year. I want to be a part of that.
"I am a New Jersey guy."
So, what kind of player is Rutgers football getting in Hamilton?
"You're getting a guy who goes out there every week and can give you his all," said Hamilton. "I am a vocal leader, I am an emotional guy out there when I play. I am a technically sound, I think that's my best part of my game, a lot of my friends call me 'technician'.
"You know, I just do the best I can every play and I give you all I got, and at the end of the day I am going to leave the field with no regrets."
Hamilton (6-foot-4, 250 pounds) had zeroed in on Rutgers after also considering Florida, and Miami. Hamilton was a question mark to coming to Piscataway, N.J., as for the past few days the Scarlet Knights lost its head coach, Greg Schiano, last Thursday and hired a new one, Kyle Flood, Tuesday.
"He shows great promise against the run, but can also rush the passer," wrote SB Nation's Bud Elliott just a few weeks ago. "Hamilton's skills against the run likely come from him playing a good bit of defensive tackle in high school. He's clearly been coached up, and uses his hands well for a prospect of his age. The four major recruiting services award Hamilton five stars as a rating."
Hamilton was the third-highest defensive end in the Rivals rankings, trailing Noah Spence (Harrisburg, PA) and Johnathan Gray (Aledo, TX). Hamilton, who's the son of former Pittsburgh Panthers All-American and New York Giants player Keith Hamilton, should help the Scarlet Knights Class of 2012 recruiting class vault in the recruiting rankings where it currently sits at No. 35 by Rivals.com.
(via sportsforceTV)
For more on Darius Hamilton and Rutgers football recruiting, check out this SB Nation New York StoryStream and the SB Nation blog On The Banks. Click the link for more on National Signing Day 2012.