Ex-Michigan wide receiver Ahmir Mitchell, a 6-3, 205-pound four-star recruit out of Cedar Creek (Egg Harbor City, N.J.), has signed with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Mitchell signed and faxed his Rutgers scholarship this afternoon, and will move on campus Monday, as he's already enrolled in school.

"Basically, everything came down to what was best for me and my family," Mitchell told NJ.com. "Some personal things are going on back home right now. And it just seems like the right thing for me to do is to come back and be closer to my family and basically go home and rep Jersey in Jersey."

Mitchell will sit out the 2016 season, but will practice with the team throughout the year. However, he'll be fully activated from next spring on.

Regardless of when he can play, Mitchell is happy to come home.

"Throughout my entire recruitment, Rutgers was always within the top three," he said. "For a while they were leading. It basically came down to the staff. And now that they have a better staff at Rutgers, that's what made me basically want to come back home along with everything going on back at home with my family and stuff like that. So it just seemed like a good fit and every aspect just pointed back home."

Playing wide receiver is Mitchell's bread and butter, but he's willing to step up wherever Rutgers needs him most.

"I'm a very versatile athlete, so I'm willing to play wherever coaches need me and where the team needs me," he said. "But, of course, the main position would be wide receiver. And wherever else they want to throw me at, I'll do."

And Mitchell believes he has the skill-set to succeed on the banks.

"With my God-given size, speed and ability, the deep ball is always the go-to," he said. "But also in the areas where I catch the ball, being a big body, having long arms and using the stiff arm, I can get up out of there and be able to provide more yards after the catch. So between those two, those are my main factors at wide receiver."

Per Big Ten transfer rules, Mitchell would normally lose an additional year of eligibility (on top of sitting out the year), in order to transfer to another Big Ten team, leaving him with three years to play three.

But he'll apply for a hardship waiver due to extenuating circumstances at home, which wouldn't get him on the field for 2016, but would prevent him from losing the extra year of eligibility -- leaving him four to play four.

Mitchell was one of two freshmen suspended by Michigan entering fall camp. Rumors of the suspension began to surface when Mitchell and two other teammates weren't included in Michigan's 2016 team photo released Aug. 7, prompting media to seek answers from head coach Jim Harbaugh two weeks later.

However, Harbaugh said only that two of the three missing freshman had been suspended.

The reason for the suspension is still unknown. However, Mitchell is leaving Ann Arbor on good terms with a Michigan program, which has supported him up to this point.

Hence, Mitchell received a full release last week, allowing him to be pursued even by other Big Ten teams.

"It's most definitely been positive," he said. "Everybody here at the University of Michigan is top-notch. It's a great program, but it just seems like with everything going on back home and things like that, the best thing for me to do was to go home and be with my family. So that's what it all came down to. But the relationship here with the coaches and my former teammates here at Michigan, it's all great, all positive."

After receiving the release, a number of schools displayed immediate interest.

Maryland was the program working the hardest to land Mitchell. However, Mitchell's support system believed it is in his best interest to attend a program close to home where he'll be nurtured, and has family close by.

Although Temple was initially in the mix, interaction slowed. Meanwhile, interaction with Rutgers had only intensified.

Apparently, the Rutgers staff carefully vetted Mitchell and feels his potential outweighs any risk of adding him to the roster.

Michigan was willing to allow Mitchell to pay his way through the fall, and have a chance to rejoin the team next spring, but Mitchell opted to seek a fresh start.

Mitchell is still in Ann Arbor but will be home Saturday in preparation for Monday -- move-in day at Rutgers.

In February, Michigan signed six players out of New Jersey, headlined by five-star Paramus Catholic defensive end Rashan Gary, the country's unanimous No. 1 player.

Former DePaul Catholic (Wayne, N.J.) standout Kareem Walker -- a four-star and one-time top running back in the country -- also missed the team photo, but is still with the team.

The Wolverines also signed Camden defensive end Ron Johnson and wide receiver Brad Hawkins, both four-stars, and DePaul Catholic defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour, a three-star.

Hawkins never made it to Michigan as he qualified after the NCAA's deadline. He is currently attending Suffield (Conn.) Academy, with intentions of making it back to Michigan.

NJ.com Rutgers reporter Keith Sargeant contributed to this report.

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