By Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Scan a list of Rutgers alums in the NFL and one position will repeat more than any other: Wide receiver.

Kenny Britt is a former first-round draft pick. Mohamed Sanu is a rising star. Leonte Carroo is the program's most recent draft pick. Carlton Augdosi and Brandon Coleman both worked their way off onto active rosters as undrafted free agents. Andre Patton is waiting his turn on a practice squad.

And that doesn't even include other recent former Rutgers wide receivers who have enjoyed NFL success, such as Tiquan Underwood and Tim Wright.

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It's difficult to reconcile that history with this fact: Rutgers wide receivers did not score a touchdown in the final 11 games of 2017.

In fact, the entire receiver corps scored as many touchdowns (2) as safety Kiy Hester, and running back Raheem Blackshear led the teamin touchdown catches (2). Both of Rutgers' touchdown catches by receivers came during the season-opening loss to Washington.

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It's no wonder then that Rutgers ranked No. 124 in the nation in passing offense one season after ranking No. 123.

In 2012, Rutgers signed a recruiting class compiled by former coach Greg Schiano that included Carroo, Agudosi, Ruhann Peele (dismissed) and Ian Thomas (moved to defensive back and transferred).

But Schiano's successor, Kyle Flood, failed to continue restocking the cupboad during his four-year tenure, leaving Rutgers to rely on mostly first- and second-year players in 2017.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

"We lost a lot," coach Chris Ash recently said of parting ways with four senior receivers after the 2016 season, "and were playing a lot of true freshmen at the wide receiver position."

Ash prioritized wide receiver in 2017 and Rutgers was able to sell early playing time to recruits because of the vacancies on the two-deep, but will that pitch still work again in 2018?

Here is a closer look at the wide receivers in each Rutgers recruiting class from 2013-18, with analysis of careers and an update on the decommits who got away.

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By the numbers look at Rutgers passing game

It got worse from 2016 to 2017 in some ways

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

CLASS OF 2013

Signed

3-star Janarion Grant

3-star Andre Patton

3-star John Tsimis

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Analysis

Grant was a spectacular returner and not much of a factor at receiver for three seasons in the pro-style offense.

Then, for four games as a true senior, Grant was a do-everything offensive star until a broken ankle ended his season and caused him to redshirt. He never fully recovered and literally limped across the finish line as a redshirt senior.

Grant finished No. 3 in Rutgers history in all-purpose yards and tied for the NCAA career record with eight special teams returns for touchdowns, plus 99 catches for 1,062 yards and 344 rushing yards with six total touchdowns from scrimmage.

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Patton finished with 90 catches for 1,164 yards and 10 touchdowns, with his numbers improving each year despite being in Carroo's shadow. He played mostly a special teams role as a true freshman and never redshirted. He is a member of the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad.

Tsimis made 36 catches for 348 yards and three touchdowns at Rutgers, where he played as a true freshman but took a medical redshirt in 2015. He graduate transferred to Towson for his final year of eligibility.

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What's next for Greg Schiano?

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Peyton Manning was on board with Schiano hire

Kirk Herbstreit's reveal to ESPN

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Justin K. Aller | Getty Images

CLASS OF 2014

Signed:

None

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Analysis

If you want to oversimplify and boil it down to one reason, this is it.

Rutgers struck out with receivers -- and at other positions -- in the 2014 recruiting class, which featured 13 total de-commitments as the team fell from 4-1 to 6-7 and was rocked with off-field abuse allegations against the-defensive coordinator Dave Cohen.

Decommitments don't always make you pay. These three did.

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Decommits

WR Saed Blacknall, Penn State

Blacknall has 49 catches for 959 yards and seven touchdowns as he enters the final game of his career. He had two touchdowns in the 2016 Big Ten Championship Game upset of Wisconsin.

WR Adonis Jennings, Temple

After one season at Pitt, Jennings received a waiver to be an immediately eligible transfer at Temple, where he has had a dynamic senior season, with 39 catches for 691 yards and seven touchdowns.

WR Sam Martin, Miami (Ohio)

Losing a lightly recruited player out of Colorado to a MAC school coming off a winless season was one of the ultimate recruiting indignities of the Flood era. Martin finished his four-year career with 83 catches for 1,356 yards.

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Ex-Rutgers commit key to Wisconsin's unbeaten hopes

How RB Jonathan Taylor spoke his dream into existence

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Big Ten Championship Game picks

Ohio State repeats 2014 massacre? Or Wisconsin stays unbeaten?

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

CLASS OF 2015

Signed

3-star Rashad Blunt



3-star Dontae Owens

3-star Jawuan Harris

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Analysis

One of Flood's smarter recruiting moves was to offer Harris a scholarship with the opportunity to play baseball and football, which got him to decommit from Florida International. He is a possible high pick in the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft and he was a two-way player for the football team.

Harris had a team-high 39 catches and three touchdowns as redshirt freshman in 2016 before compiling 47 tackles, two forced fumbles and two interceptions as a safety in 2017. Where he will play in 2018 -- if he is not a baseball minor-leaguer -- is to be decided.

Owens played in one game -- burning a year of eligibility -- in 2015 and was dismissed from the program, winding up at Gannon University.

Blunt has played in one career game, taking a few snaps as an emergency defensive back against Ohio State in 2017.

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Decommit

Freddie Simmons, Akron



Simmons originally signed with North Carolina State but was dismissed from the program. He resurfaced at Akron but is no longer with that program, either.

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Rutgers' Tyler Scaife reveals open-heart surgery

A 2-year odyssey testing patience, strength, maturity

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Which of N.J.'s top 50 recruits are playing in championship games?

What to watch for

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Andrew Mills

CLASS OF 2016

Signed

3-star Mohamed Jabbie

2-star Ahmed Bah

2-star Dacoven Bailey

4-star Ahmir Mitchell (transfer from Michigan before freshman season)

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Analysis

In a class mostly put together by Flood and inherited by Ash, the results are a mixed bag.

Bailey -- who had no FBS offers before the new regime swooped in -- has 12 catches for 117 yards and one touchdown. He has been important because of his versatility, emerging as one of the top special teams coverage players and also filling in at defensive back, where he has 12 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.

Jabbie played in 11 games on special teams and started the final six games at wide receiver as a redshirt freshman in 2017. He made three catches for 19 yards but was a solid run blocker.

Bah, who committed, decommitted and re-commited, left to transfer after 2017 spring camp, and Mitchell was dismissed for violation of team rules earlier this year. Neither ever appeared in a game for Rutgers.

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Decommits

Isaiah Wright, Temple

In two seasons, Wrigiht already has more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage (426 rushing, 655 receiving) and five touchdowns. He also returns and covers kickoffs and was named American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week once.

Taysir Mack, Indiana

Mack and Bah were supposed to a be a package deal as high school teammates out of New York, but Mack chose Indiana on Signing Day. He had 23 catches for 310 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games and eight starts as a redshirt freshman.

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6 biggest offseason questions facing Chris Ash

From recruiting to coaching to NFL Draft

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2018 Rutgers schedule

Dreams of a 6-1 start?

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Michael Hickey | Getty Images

CLASS OF 2017

Signed

4-star Bo Melton

3-star Everett Wormley

3-star Shameen Jones

3-star Tyler Hayek

2-star Hunter Hayek

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Analysis

Wormley, Melton and Hunter Hayek combined for 16 catches for 164 yards and no touchdowns. Wormley made four starts in 11 games, Melton made three in 12 and Hayek made two in 12.

Their lack of statistics is partially the product of freshman struggles -- they were forced into the lineup by a lack of depth -- and partially the product of an absent passing attack with enough blame to share among the coaches, receivers, quarterbacks and offensive line.

Jones, who was injured in the preseason but taking first-team practice reps during the final week of the season, and Tyler Hayek both redshirted.

Eddie Lewis signed but enrolled in prep school and hopes to reclassify as part of the 2018 recruiting class.

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Decommits

Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Iowa

Recruited by Rutgers as a cornerback, Smith-Marsette, who made his final decision on Signing Day, has 18 catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns, including an overtime game-winner against Iowa State, entering bowl season. He also has 134 kickoff return yards and 41 rushing yards.

Bryce Watts, Virginia Tech

Recruited by Rutgers as a cornerback, it seems likely Watts would've been moved to wide receiver or at least become a two-way player in Piscataway. Instead, he made five tackles in 12 games as a cornerback during his true freshman season.

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Closer look at 2017 Rutgers freshmen

How the 14 who played fared? Who is eligible for redshirt?

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Rutgers alum Todd Frazier brings Yankees "Thumbs Down" to RAC

Frazier: If I'm a high school student, I'm thinking Rutgers all the way

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Todderick Hunt | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

CLASS OF 2018

Committed

3-star Zihir Lacewell



3-star Paul Woods

3-star Travon King

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Analysis

Woods will enter Rutgers with the most hype among the three, while King out of Camden is one of only five in-state prospects committed right now. At 6-foot-3, Lacewell could provide some of the jump-ball ability from a tall receiver that was missing this season.

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Decommits

E.J. Turner

Turner decommitted and is still looking for a new home.

Ahmad Anderson

Anderson is committed to Purdue, but Rutgers is still recruiting him as he prepares to play a state playoff game at Yankee Stadium.

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Chris Ash signs updated contract through 2022

Why now? What are the terms?

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NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

LISTEN: Rutgers Ep. 13

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Ryan Dunleavy can be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy.