Rutgers fans are familiar with the term, “Fence the garden," which pertains to keeping top New Jersey high school football recruits in-state, and opposing coaches on the outside looking in.

Well, the coronavirus shutdown has done just that.

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Nature has forced human beings to stay home and accept social distancing as our new normal. Although the virus has distressed the country, one thing it hasn’t hurt is Rutgers football recruiting as Greg Schiano has earned four commitments since Wednesday -- three from players from New Jersey.

Friday, Governor Mifflin (Reading, Pa.) defensive lineman Cam’Ron Stewart and Parsippany (N.J.) Hills athlete Jordan Thompson, joined East Orange (N.J) running back/cornerback Al-Shadee Salaam, and Westside (Newark, N.J.) defensive back Shaquan Loyal, as recruits who’ve pledged to Greg Schiano since Wednesday. The class, which boasts seven pledges overall, is ranked 20th in the country and No. 7 in the Big Ten by 247Sports.com.

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Greg Schiano and staff had already been on a roll, after turning a mediocre 2020 class into the No. 64 class in the country. And that doesn’t even do the class justice as its strength is the incoming transfers not figured into the rankings.

Guys perceived to make a major impact, like Brendon White -- a former Rose Bowl MVP while at Ohio State, or Aron Cruickshank, who returned a kickoff for a 95-yard score in a different Rose Bowl, or Peyton Powell -- a four-star from Baylor.

The staff was also off to a strong start to 2021, after convincing highly-touted Alijah Clark and Carnell Davis, plus, all-world 220-pound wrestler Kyonte Hamilton, to join the fold.

So there’s a good chance these players would have picked Rutgers anyway. But it can’t hurt that coaches from opposing schools aren’t allowed to fly and can’t visit them at their schools. They can’t watch them train, and chat with coaches, teachers and guidance counselors face-to-face -- key recruiting components.

Conversely, top players can’t fly out-of-state, preventing outside schools from wooing recruits with facilities, food, and presentations. Commitments usually occur on visits, which hurts such schools since recruits can’t get to them. Even if they wanted to.

Take, for instance, Winslow (N.J) Township DB Jalen Cheek, who’s been offered by Rutgers and, at least, 12 out-of-state schools.

“Potential visits have been postponed due to the virus,” Cheek, a three-star recruit, who may not be able to visit out-of state schools before his decision date. “I’m looking to close in on a school around June-August.”

Rutgers, smartly, got most of its priority visits out the way during the first week of the contact period, where upwards of 80 freshmen, sophomores, and juniors visited campus -- around 20 percent from out-of-state, while junior visitors were split more evenly down the middle.

College coaches revere New Jersey for its high school football talent, and Rutgers finally has a way to keep out-of-state coaches, well, out-of-state.

Although Rutgers must battle the same circumstances, there’s enough talent in New Jersey to keep the staff occupied. In fact, everything Rutgers needs lies within state lines ... if it can prove over time to keep the state’s best home. And they can still call, text and privately message (both, in- and) out-of-state recruits like they always have.

Flight restrictions and the recruiting ban instituted by the NCAA will eventually be lifted. It’s unclear just how long the shutdown could last.

But it’s hard to believe the shutdown didn’t provide, at least, some boost to what had already become a movement since Schiano’s return to Piscataway.

Sure, the shutdown will end one day, but Rutgers’ 2021 class could be full by then.

At this pace, anyway.

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Todderick Hunt may be reached at thunt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TodderickHunt. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.