2027 New York TE Saleh Atariwa commits to Rutgers Football
Rutgers Football has its second tight end commit of the 2027 recruiting class.
Cardinal Hayes (NY) tight end Saleh Atariwa pledged his commitment to the Scarlet Knights on Saturday, he announced on social media. He joins Sydney Padilla as 2027 commits at that position, and is the third commit in the class from the state of New York.
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Atariwa’s recruitment
Atariwa plays both football and basketball for the Cardinals, and brings size and athleticism at 6-foot-7 to the tight end position. He first earned his offer from the Scarlet Knights in February, after already holding a few Power Four offers.
“I’ve been in contact with coach Scott Vallone, the tight ends coach for a while now,” Atariwa told TKR in February after earning his offer. “It started when I went to the Rutgers 7-on-7 with my team last July and he brought me in personally for a workout and to get to know me. From there we kept a good connection, until I hopped on a call with him most recently and the head coach (Greg Schiano), that’s where they let me know that they were offering me.”
He was recently on campus earlier this month for the program’s Junior Day event, and scheduled an Official Visit for June 5th.
“it was amazing, I learned a lot,” Atariwa told TKR after his recent visit. “They showed me how they would use me and talked about my development, and they just made it feel like home. I spent a lot of time hanging with Scott (Vallone) and he was telling me a lot of what F.T.C. means and how he can develop me. I haven’t gone to any other schools yet, but Rutgers is No. 1 as of now.”
Atariwa also held offers from the likes of Boston College, Buffalo, Maryland, Monmouth, Syracuse, Temple, UConn, UMass, and Wake Forest, along with Rutgers.
But with his commitment, his recruitment will likely shut down as he gets ready for his Official Visit and senior season in New York.
Atariwa joins Padilla, James Cocozzo, and Trent Buttles as the Scarlet Knights’ 2027 commitments.
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