Photo by: Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics
Five Scarlet Knights Named to NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Big Board
Aug 27 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Five from Rutgers football were named to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Big Board unveiled Friday. Olakunle Fatukasi, Ifeanyi Maijeh, Bo Melton, Isaih Pacheco and Avery Young all are included on the preseason list.
This January, the NFL Players Association will produce the 10th annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. Since 2011, the NFLPA Bowl has provided senior NFL prospects with an exceptional platform to showcase their talents to all 32 NFL teams as well as a one-of-a-kind experience that educates participants about the business of football. In the past two years alone, 87 NFLPA Bowl participants have been invited to the NFL Combine and 58 were drafted by NFL clubs.
Three Scarlet Knights have previously participated in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl: Damon Hayes (2020), Kamaal Seymour (2020) and Quentin Gause (2016).
OLAKUNLE FATUKASI
A member of the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and Nagurski Trophy watch lists, Fatukasi averaged 11.2 tackles per game last season to lead the Big Ten and rank ninth nationally for the best average by a Scarlet Knight since 1999. Totaling 101 tackles overall, the linebacker had double-digit stops in six games with a high of 17 versus Michigan and Penn State. Eleven of the stops were in the backfield, tying for the most by an RU player in a Big Ten season. He was voted First Team All-Big Ten by the media.
IFEANYI MAIJEH
Maijeh enters his first season with the Scarlet Knights with 27 games of collegiate experience. The defensive lineman was named to the Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy watch lists in 2020. Previously, the Far Rockaway, New York, native earned First Team All-American Athletic Conference in 2019 after totaling 52 tackles with 10 for loss, 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
BO MELTON
Melton led RU last season with nine total touchdowns (six receiving, two rushing, one punt return), third-most in the Big Ten, on three multiple-score games. Recognized nationally as member of the Biletnikoff Award watch list in 2020 and 2021, he posted career highs with 47 receptions for 638 yards, highlighted by back-to-back 100-yard games versus Illinois (150) and Michigan (109). The Mays Landing, New Jersey, native rushed for two touchdowns in the win at Maryland, both giving RU the lead, and collected a career-high 170 all-purpose yards at No. 3 Ohio State. He led the Scarlet Knights with 942 all-purpose yards and 56 points scored on the season. In his career, Melton has played in all 45 games with 109 receptions, 1,393 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns.
ISAIH PACHECO
Pacheco ranked eighth in the Big Ten with 515 rushing yards on 116 carries, scoring three touchdowns on the ground in 2020. That included a season-high 133 yards versus Illinois, a pair of rushing scores in the win at Michigan State and tying the team lead with 20 rushing first downs picked up. In the passing game, the Vineland, New Jersey, native contributed 19 receptions for 130 yards after totaling a combined 15 catches the previous two seasons. Pacheco scored his first collegiate receiving touchdown in the victory at Maryland. He enters 2021 with 1,795 career rushing yards on 396 carries with 13 scores and six 100-yard rushing games.
AVERY YOUNG
Having played in 33 consecutive games with 30 career starts in the secondary, Young owns 161 tackles and 19 passes defended as a Scarlet Knight. The Pennsylvania native earned honorable mention All-Big Ten status in 2020 after leading the Big Ten with three forced fumbles, totaling 58 tackles, 3.5 for loss, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. That included 12 stops versus Nebraska and two forced fumbles in the win at Michigan State. Young garnered Academic All-Big Ten honors as well in 2020.
Under the direction of head coach Greg Schiano, Rutgers matched its program high with three Big Ten victories in 2020. The Scarlet Knights had 14 players recognized in the All-Big Ten voting, the most for the program since joining the league. In addition, RU posted a team-best 26.7 points per game in a Big Ten season, a gain of 13.4 points per game from the previous season for the fourth-best improvement nationally. The defense collected 19 takeaways and led the conference with 7.8 tackles-for-loss, while the kick return units were one of four nationally with at least three kick return touchdowns. Academically, Rutgers saw 46 student-athletes earn Academic All-Big Ten honors, a program high.
Rutgers opens the season Sept. 2 versus Temple at SHI Stadium in a game presented by PNC. Click here for information on season tickets.
Follow Rutgers football on Twitter (@RFootball), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel and bookmark Rutgers.Football, the Scarlet Knights' dedicated recruiting site.
This January, the NFL Players Association will produce the 10th annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. Since 2011, the NFLPA Bowl has provided senior NFL prospects with an exceptional platform to showcase their talents to all 32 NFL teams as well as a one-of-a-kind experience that educates participants about the business of football. In the past two years alone, 87 NFLPA Bowl participants have been invited to the NFL Combine and 58 were drafted by NFL clubs.
Three Scarlet Knights have previously participated in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl: Damon Hayes (2020), Kamaal Seymour (2020) and Quentin Gause (2016).
OLAKUNLE FATUKASI
A member of the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and Nagurski Trophy watch lists, Fatukasi averaged 11.2 tackles per game last season to lead the Big Ten and rank ninth nationally for the best average by a Scarlet Knight since 1999. Totaling 101 tackles overall, the linebacker had double-digit stops in six games with a high of 17 versus Michigan and Penn State. Eleven of the stops were in the backfield, tying for the most by an RU player in a Big Ten season. He was voted First Team All-Big Ten by the media.
IFEANYI MAIJEH
Maijeh enters his first season with the Scarlet Knights with 27 games of collegiate experience. The defensive lineman was named to the Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy watch lists in 2020. Previously, the Far Rockaway, New York, native earned First Team All-American Athletic Conference in 2019 after totaling 52 tackles with 10 for loss, 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
BO MELTON
Melton led RU last season with nine total touchdowns (six receiving, two rushing, one punt return), third-most in the Big Ten, on three multiple-score games. Recognized nationally as member of the Biletnikoff Award watch list in 2020 and 2021, he posted career highs with 47 receptions for 638 yards, highlighted by back-to-back 100-yard games versus Illinois (150) and Michigan (109). The Mays Landing, New Jersey, native rushed for two touchdowns in the win at Maryland, both giving RU the lead, and collected a career-high 170 all-purpose yards at No. 3 Ohio State. He led the Scarlet Knights with 942 all-purpose yards and 56 points scored on the season. In his career, Melton has played in all 45 games with 109 receptions, 1,393 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns.
ISAIH PACHECO
Pacheco ranked eighth in the Big Ten with 515 rushing yards on 116 carries, scoring three touchdowns on the ground in 2020. That included a season-high 133 yards versus Illinois, a pair of rushing scores in the win at Michigan State and tying the team lead with 20 rushing first downs picked up. In the passing game, the Vineland, New Jersey, native contributed 19 receptions for 130 yards after totaling a combined 15 catches the previous two seasons. Pacheco scored his first collegiate receiving touchdown in the victory at Maryland. He enters 2021 with 1,795 career rushing yards on 396 carries with 13 scores and six 100-yard rushing games.
AVERY YOUNG
Having played in 33 consecutive games with 30 career starts in the secondary, Young owns 161 tackles and 19 passes defended as a Scarlet Knight. The Pennsylvania native earned honorable mention All-Big Ten status in 2020 after leading the Big Ten with three forced fumbles, totaling 58 tackles, 3.5 for loss, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. That included 12 stops versus Nebraska and two forced fumbles in the win at Michigan State. Young garnered Academic All-Big Ten honors as well in 2020.
Under the direction of head coach Greg Schiano, Rutgers matched its program high with three Big Ten victories in 2020. The Scarlet Knights had 14 players recognized in the All-Big Ten voting, the most for the program since joining the league. In addition, RU posted a team-best 26.7 points per game in a Big Ten season, a gain of 13.4 points per game from the previous season for the fourth-best improvement nationally. The defense collected 19 takeaways and led the conference with 7.8 tackles-for-loss, while the kick return units were one of four nationally with at least three kick return touchdowns. Academically, Rutgers saw 46 student-athletes earn Academic All-Big Ten honors, a program high.
Rutgers opens the season Sept. 2 versus Temple at SHI Stadium in a game presented by PNC. Click here for information on season tickets.
Follow Rutgers football on Twitter (@RFootball), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel and bookmark Rutgers.Football, the Scarlet Knights' dedicated recruiting site.
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