Recruit Profile: Nadir Barnwell

Athlete Nadir Barnwell of Piscataway High School (Piscataway, NJ) became the 17th member of Rutgers' 2013 recruiting class back in September. Barnwell played both quarterback and corner back for the Chiefs, winning two state titles and throwing for over 3000 yard in his career, and he will play corner at Rutgers. Piscataway has produced a lot of defensive back talent recently in Malcolm Jenkins and Kyle Wilson, who are both in the NFL, and a lot of talent for the Scarlet Knights, most notably Anthony Davis, amongst many others. Rutgers has missed out on a number of New Jersey's top recruits this recruiting cycle, so Barnwell (who is the state's 7th best prospect according to Rivals) is a huge coup for Kyle Flood and his staff.

Measurables: 6'0'' 190 lbs 4.64 40 yard dash

Stars:

Rivals	ESPN	Scout	247
4 stars, #201 overall, #11 athlete, #7 in NJ	4 stars, #231 overall, #25 athlete, #9 in NJ	4 stars, #27 corner back	4 stars, #157 overall, #11 athlete, #8 in NJ

Offer Sheet: Barnwell has a very impressive list of offers, including ones from Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pitt, South Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Injury: Barnwell separated his right (non throwing) shoulder in a preseason scrimage, and it caused him miss a few games early in the season, but it should not be a problem going forward.

Scouting Report: Barnwell is a long, wiry athlete who already posses good size for the corner postion in college. He is a very tough, physical player who is adept at defending the run, as well as the pass. He has great speed,  loose hips, very good instincts and tremendous ball skills, so he has top corner potential. In man coverage, he can jam receivers at the line, force them off their route, and run with them down field. In zone coverage, he is quick reacting to routes out of his back pedal, and he is often able to get there to break up passes. His toughness makes him a great run defender, and he is a very good tackler who always wraps up and attacks ball carriers low. As a quarterback, he is a terrific runner who can make defenders miss in the open field. He has a very solid arm and can make deep throws and out routes to the wide side of the field, but he doesn't get great zip on his passes. He has escapability in the pocket, and he throws the ball accurately on the run.

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My Take: Barnwell is probably Rutgers' best commit so far, and he fills a position of need. He is a fast, physical corner with good size who is ready to play right away in college. I think he could conceivably play quarterback, but given the immediate need Rutgers has at corner, he should play there. The Scarlet Knights lost their top three players at the position from 2012, so I expect Barnwell to compete for a starting job right away. He is reportedly enrolling early, so he will be able to participate in spring practice and have a better chance of winning the starting spot in fall camp.