Photo by: Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics
Football Adds Four To 2020 Signing Class
Feb 05 | Football
Head coach Greg Schiano completes first recruiting class in RU return
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano announced the addition of four Scarlet Knights – Ireland Burke, Aron Cruickshank, Michael Dwumfour and Brendon White – to his previously signed 19-member recruiting class on Wednesday. The completed recruiting class is comprised of six transfer students, including four who have appeared in a combined 104 games at the Power 5 level.
The 2020 recruiting class consists of players from eight different states. Eleven Scarlet Knights hail from New Jersey, followed by four from New York, two from Florida, and one each from Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
Burke, Cruickshank and White joined the following 10 students who enrolled in January and will begin practice in March: Wesley Bailey, Malik Barrow, Tunde Fatukasi, Victor Konopka, Robert Longerbeam, Max Melton, Cedrice Paillant, Peyton Powell, Tyreem Powell and Evan Simon.
The 2020 recruiting class consists of players from eight different states. Eleven Scarlet Knights hail from New Jersey, followed by four from New York, two from Florida, and one each from Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
Burke, Cruickshank and White joined the following 10 students who enrolled in January and will begin practice in March: Wesley Bailey, Malik Barrow, Tunde Fatukasi, Victor Konopka, Robert Longerbeam, Max Melton, Cedrice Paillant, Peyton Powell, Tyreem Powell and Evan Simon.
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown | High School (Previous School) |
| Ireland Burke | DL | 6-3 | 285 | Jamaica, N.Y. | Pope John XXIII (Boston College) |
| Aron Cruickshank | WR | 5-9 | 155 | Brooklyn, N.Y. | Erasmus Hall (Wisconsin) |
| Michael Dwumfour | DL | 6-2 | 282 | Scotch Plains, N.J. | DePaul Catholic (Michigan) |
| Brendon White | DB | 6-2 | 215 | Powell, Ohio | Olentangy Liberty (Ohio State) |
Ireland Burke
DL • So. • 6-3 • 285
Jamaica, N.Y./Pope John XXIII (Boston College)
2019 (Freshman at Boston College): Appeared in nine games at defensive tackle ... recorded six tackles (four solo, two assisted) on the season.
Prior to College: Played for head coach Brian Carlson at Pope John XXIII ... rated as the No. 64 defensive tackle nationally and the No. 2 defensive tackle prospect in New Jersey according to 247Sports ... rated the No. 20 prospect in New Jersey by 247Sports ... listed as the third-best defensive tackle in New Jersey by ESPN ... rated the No. 36 player in the Garden State and the 85th-best defensive tackle nationally according to ESPN ... missed his junior season due to a knee injury ... 52 tackles and two sacks as a senior, including a season-high 10 tackles against Paramus Catholic and Seton Hall Prep ... team captain as a senior ... all-conference and all-county selection.
Aron Cruickshank
WR • Jr. • 5-9 • 155
Brooklyn, N.Y./Erasmus Hall (Wisconsin)
2019 (Sophomore at Wisconsin): Played in 14 games, including the Big Ten Championship game and Rose Bowl ... accounted for three touchdowns on the season, one rushing and two kickoff returns ... the two kickoff returns for touchdowns tied both the Wisconsin single-season and career records ... scored on an 89-yard kickoff return touchdown at Nebraska (11/16), marking the first return TD of his career, and the first for the Badgers since Nov. 7, 2015 ... a second team All-Big Ten selection on special teams (coaches and media), he ranked fourth in the conference with a 25.3 yards per kick return ... scored his second career rushing touchdown, on a 27-yard run as a Wildcat quarterback vs. Purdue (11/23) ... scored a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown in the Rose Bowl against Oregon (1/1).
2018 (Freshman): Appeared in all 13 games ... returned 26 kickoffs for 533 yards (20.5 average) ... recorded six rushing attempts for 51 yards (8.5 ypc) and a touchdown ... caught a pass for 11 yards ... scored first career touchdown on 23-yard run vs. Illinois on Oct. 20 ... carried once for 14 yards vs. Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 27 ... recorded first career reception for 11 yards vs. Minnesota on Nov. 24
Prior to College: Played for head coach Danny Landberg at Erasmus Hall ... four-star recruit by ESPN ... three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals ... helped lead team to the New York City PSAL championship game in back-to-back seasons, winning the title as a junior ... named all-city as a junior ... finished with 24 touchdowns and 1,009 rushing yards as a junior ... also competed in track and field ... four-year academic honor roll student.
Michael Dwumfour
DL • 5th-Sr. • 6-2 • 282
Scotch Plains, N.J./DePaul Catholic (Michigan)
2019 (Senior at Michigan): Appeared in 10 games along the defensive line with two starts ... recorded nine tackles including 1.5 for loss with one sack and two pass breakups ... earned third varsity letter ... shared Defensive Player of the Game honors with the entire defense for their performance against Iowa (10/5) ... started at Indiana (Nov. 23), defended one pass, and finished with two assisted tackles ... started and had three tackles with a shared sack against Ohio State (Nov. 30).
2018 (Junior at Michigan): Played in all 13 games at defensive tackle with a pair of starts ... recorded 21 tackles with one interception and three sacks ... had two solo stops, including one for a four-yard tackle-for-loss at Notre Dame (9/1) ... recorded five stops against Western Michigan (9/8) ... credited with three tackles starting at nose tackle against Florida in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl (12/29).
2017 (Sophomore at Michigan): Saw action in nine games, tallying four tackles, one tackle-for-loss and one sack.
2016 (Freshman at Michigan): Appeared in one game, making collegiate debut against Hawaii (9/3) in the season opener.
Prior to College: Played for head coach John McKenna at DePaul Catholic ... led the Spartans to back-to-back Non Public Group 2 State Championships ... tallied 55 tackles, 21 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks with 16 QB hurries as a senior ... posted 42 tackles, eight for loss, three sacks and 10 QB hurries during junior year ... an ESPN, Rivals and Scout.com three-star prospect ... rated as the No. 24 recruit in New Jersey.
Brendon White
DB • Sr. • 6-2 • 215
Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty (Ohio State)
2019 (Junior at Ohio State): Played in 10 games with one start at defensive back ... finished season with 19 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a pass breakup ... registered three or more tackles in four games ... recorded two tackles at Rutgers (11/16) ... in on two stops at Wisconsin (10/26) ... collected three tackles against Northwestern ... had three tackles against Indiana (9/14) ... produced three solo tackles and a tackle-for-loss against Cincinnati (9/7) ... started at safety and registered three tackles, a tackle-for-loss and a pass breakup in season opener against Florida Atlantic (8/31).
2018 (Sophomore at Ohio State): Played in 14 games with five starts at defensive back ... produced five or more tackles in final five games and finished season with 46 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, two pass breakups and an interception ... 2019 Rose Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Players with eight tackles, two tackles-for-loss and an interception on a two-point conversion in win over Washington (1/1) ... in on five tackles against Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship (12/1) ... recorded five tackles and produced a 49-yard interception return against Michigan (11/24) ... had five tackles against Maryland (11/17) ... added a pass break up and five tackles against Michigan State (11/10) ... collected a career-high 13 tackles, including two tackles-for-loss, against Nebraska (11/3) ... added two tackles in season opener against Oregon State (9/1).
2017 (Freshman at Ohio State): Played in five games at both wide receiver and defensive back as a true freshman ... recorded a tackle against Rutgers (9/30).
Prior to College: Played for head coach Steve Hale at Olentangy Liberty ... moved to quarterback in 2016 after being named a first-team Associated Press all-state defensive back in 2015 … helped Liberty (13-1) win its first regional championship in 2016 and advance to the Ohio Division I state semifinals for the first time in school history … scored five touchdowns – four of them off receptions – in a regional semifinal win over Medina … named area offensive player of the year in 2016 with 799 passing yards and 11 scores, 842 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, plus had 22 receptions and four more touchdowns … Associated Press all-state season as a junior in 2015 featured six interceptions on defense, catching 26 passes as a receiver and accumulating 11 touchdowns and nearly 1,200 all-purpose yards … a consensus four-star recruit ... No. 2 athlete in the country and No. 2 overall recruit in the state of Ohio by Rivals.com ... No. 3 rated athlete recruit nationally by 247Sports.com ... father, William, was a 1987 Ohio State captain and an all-Big Ten defensive back who went on to have an 11-year career in the NFL playing for the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons.
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