Rutgers football training camp preview: Most important Scarlet Knights in 2023

When Rutgers defensive end Aaron Lewis gets going, he’s tough to slow down.
Yes, that’s the scouting report when it comes to his play on the field, but it’s also the way the junior’s boisterous personality spills out in his words. The energizer of the Rutgers defense was rambling a mile a minute as the Big Ten Network’s cameras shined bright last week in Indianapolis.
Lewis chopped for live television. Then, the Williamstown native reminded the local press why he’s one of the most important Scarlet Knights for 2023 — his leadership on and off the field.
“I would feel content if, at the end of the season, I can look back with all my teammates and say that everybody on this team was abiding by the culture, laid out all they could and gave everything they could,” Lewis said. “That’s all I could ask for. Obviously, we want to win a championship, we want to have a positive record. Those are things we obviously want. Now, to have your teammates around you, knowing the guy next to you put everything on the line, that’s the feeling that I want.”
Here’s more on Lewis and four more of the most important Scarlet Knights as they get set to open training camp Thursday.
Aaron Lewis
The Williamstown native had more quarterback hits than any player in the Big Ten last season (19). He finished with 55 tackles and has drawn several preseason honors as an all-conference candidate. As one of the defensive leaders, Lewis returns as a high-impact player for a unit that has seven players who started at least nine games last season.
Gavin Wimsatt
Rutgers coach Greg Schiano openly named Wimsatt his starting quarterback ahead of camp. That, by nature, makes him one of the team’s most important players. More than that, however, Wimsatt’s development must be the season’s defining storyline. Last week, Schiano noted Wimsatt’s skillset — his powerful arm, mobility and athleticism — but it’s his work developing “the why” of the game that must be better. Last season, Wimsatt started the final five games of the season, when he returned from injury, but struggled. The Owensboro, Kentucky native had one of the lowest completion percentages in college football and threw more interceptions (7) than touchdowns (5).
Sam Brown
The Rutgers offense lost its identity after Brown suffered a season-ending foot injury halfway through the season. As a true freshman, Brown was on his way to a breakout campaign at running back before the injury derailed his momentum. The former four-star recruit from Philadelphia runs with power, speed and can beat defenders with a stiff arm.
Max Melton
The cornerback has landed on several NFL draft boards as a potential top-10 player at his position. As a lock-down pass defender, it will be good news for the Scarlet Knights the fewer times that Melton’s name is called. In addition to his play on defense, Melton led the nation with three blocked punts last season.
Hollin Pierce
Rutgers expects to be better along the offensive line, and Pierce’s veteran leadership is a big reason why. The towering 6-8, 340-pound junior from Trenton has started 24 consecutive games at right tackle but will move to the left side of the line — a nod to his importance as the team’s top lineman. A former walk-on, Schiano has called Pierce’s physical transformation “one of the great stories of college football”.