Egg Harbor's Wiafe ready for Rutgers
Eric Wiafe will have a better idea than most recruits of what it's like to face Division I competition as he begins his football career at Rutgers.
Eric Wiafe will have a better idea than most recruits of what it's like to face Division I competition as he begins his football career at Rutgers.
That is because the 2013 Egg Harbor Township graduate spent the fall attending Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y.
The prep school has been an assembly line for Division I recruits, and Bill Chaplick has coached such players as Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, Denver Broncos and former Temple defensive lineman Terrance Knighton, and former Winslow Township running back Shonn Greene, now a member of the Tennessee Titans.
"Some of the guys [at Milford Academy] were bigger than the guys here," said Wiafe, referring to his new teammates at Rutgers. "Those guys are huge, and it helped me a lot."
Wiafe fits in with those huge players. He stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 265 pounds. A former tight end and defensive lineman in high school, Wiafe was recruited to play defense and could be used at end or tackle. For a 9-3 Milford Academy team, he had 28 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, and a defensive touchdown.
"He is very athletic, has long arms, and is a good pass rusher and a tough kid on the run," Chaplick said. "He did everything we asked him to do."
Chaplick says Rutgers will like Wiafe's skill and his attitude.
"He plays consistently, plays hard and works hard, and keeps his mouth shut," Chaplick said. "He is a kid who doesn't miss class, a meeting, or practice, and he was a pleasure to coach."
For defensive line play, Wiafe said prep school helped him use his hands much better while shedding blocks.
"I didn't use my hands in high school, because guys were a little bit smaller and I could just run by guys," he said. "In prep school, I learned to use my hands better, and it has helped me, especially when rushing the passer."
Wiafe said that he benefited from attending prep school both academically and on the football field, but he's glad to finally be at Rutgers.
He originally committed to Rutgers at the end of his junior year at Egg Harbor Township. Wiafe has enrolled at Rutgers for the current semester and will participate in spring practice.
He is excited to be part of a Rutgers program that will be joining the Big Ten on July 1.
"The Big Ten is a great conference," Wiafe said. "I will be happy to compete in that."
Even though Wiafe said a few schools contacted him after he made his oral commitment, he never wavered from Rutgers.
"It feels good to finally be here," he said. "When I visited Rutgers, it felt like home, and it's a great place to be."
Rutgers Class of 2014
PLAYER POS. HT WT SCHOOL (State)
*Marcus Applefield OT 6-6 286 Weeki Wachee (Fla.)
Donald Bedell DE 6-4 235 Rumson (N.J.)
George Behr TE 6-5 230 East Ridge (Minn.)
Sam Blue LB 6-2 230 Millbrook (N.C.)
Andre Boggs RB 5-11 170 Coatesville (Pa.)
Tariq Cole OL 6-6 350 Long Beach (N.Y.)
Darian Dailey CB 5-11 175 Manatee (Fla.)
Sidney Gopre LB 6-1 200 Weequahic (N.J.)
Saquan Hampton CB 6-0 180 Hamilton North (N.J.)
Zack Heeman OT 6-7 270 Mount Olive (N.J.)
Joshua Hicks RB 5-10 205 Palmetto (Fla.)
Jimmy Hogan DL 6-4 225 Ramapo (N.J.)
Jacob Kraut LB 5-11 250 Fletcher (Fla.)
*Logan Lister TE 6-5 245 Katy (Texas)
*Kam Lott CB 5-10 185 First Coast (Fla.)
Alan Lucy OL 6-0 230 Dinwiddie County (Va.)
Robert Martin RB 6-0 200 Harrisburgh (Pa.)
Justin Nelson DE 6-1 240 DePaul (N.J.)
**Philip Nelson QB 6-2 215 University of Minnesota
Giovanni Rescigno QB 6-3 240 De La Salle (Mich.)
*Brandon Russell LB 6-1 215 University (Fla.)
Jacquis Webb OL 6-5 310 Gates Chili (N.Y.)
Isaiah Wharton CB 6-1 200 Gateway (Fla.)
*Eric Wiafe DL 6-5 265 Egg Harbor Twp (N.J.)
Milford Academy (N.Y.)
Kevin Wilkins OL 6-3 290 St. Joe Montvale (N.J.)
*recruits already enrolled at RutgersEndText