Rutgers football: 5 thoughts after 5 spring practices

PISCATAWAY -- Rutgers is one-third of the way through spring practice, having completed practice No. 5 of 15 on Saturday via a scrimmage at the practice bubble.

With five practices down, here are five thoughts in the wake of Saturday.

1. Art Sitkowski has a legitimate chance to start: This is not lip service, it never was. Chris Ash has of course not named his starter, and while a depth chart is expected at some point this spring, Sitkowski has looked, sounded and acted like a starter despite being an early enrollee. The Old Bridge native looked sharp at times on Saturday, but what one can deduce from the scrimmage is very much up for debate. There has been no indication from Ash or offensive coordinator John McNulty that Sitkowski is leading, but McNulty did say last week that he felt he knew where things were going. Don't be surprised if they're headed towards Sitkowski.

2. Raheem Blackshear is a home run threat: Possessing serious all-purpose potential, when Blackshear has the ball in his hands, something significant is capable of happening. The question now becomes, how many times does McNulty need to get Blackshear the ball? McNulty will not run Blackshear into the ground, he is just 5-foot-9, 185 pounds after all, but Blackshear will certainly command his touches within the offense. A year ago, Blackshear averaged 64.1 all-purpose yards per game between rushing, receiving and kick-returning.

3. The secondary can be a positive: Rutgers intercepted 12 passes in 2017, and that was with Blessuan Austin missing the last eight games after tearing his ACL at Nebraska on Sept. 23. Ash says he expects Austin to be a full-go for training camp in August. Redshirt senior Isaiah Wharton has started all 36 games of his career at the other cornerback spot, while K.J. Gray and Saquon Hampton return as safeties. There is a lot of experience and a lot of games played in that defensive backfield. The expectations for those positions should reflect that.

4. The linebacker position is deep: While the secondary has experience, the linebacker corps. has experience and depth, something Ash did not have his first two seasons. Ash went as far as to call it the deepest position on the team. Trevor Morris and Deonte Roberts were Rutgers' two leading tacklers last season, combining for 222 total, 158 of them unassisted.

5. A wide receiver or two (or three) need to emerge: Rutgers' production from its wide receivers was nonexistent last fall. Take away Grant, who was banged up in catching 16 balls in only seven games, no returning receiver caught more than the eight Hunter Hayek did. That simply has to change. Hayek is a candidate to have his numbers upped out of the slot, while Bo Melton, like Blackshear is a home run threat. Both of those guys bear watching as we move forward here. The receivers may be a question mark, but at least tight end, for the most part, is not. Jerome Washington is out for the spring, but is expected to be ready when it matters after a catching a team-best 28 passes for 282 yards in 2017.

Staff writer Josh Newman: jnewman@app.com; @Joshua_Newman