Micah Clark, the No. 36 prospect in the 2017 class, visited Rutgers on previous ocassions, but his Saturday visit for Junior Day changed his outlook about the program.

How much?

"This is on the record and you can put it out," Clark said. "Rutgers is high on my list."

Clark, the No. 1 offensive tackle in the East, is now in regular conversation with the Rutgers staff. When new coach Chris Ash went on the road for the first time in January, his first stop was at Clark's school, St. John Vianney in Holmdel, N.J., and that made a huge impression.

"When coach Ash first got the job, (offensive line) coach (A.J.) Blazek brought him down to the school," Clark said. "I was the first guy in New Jersey he came (to check) on. I felt that was a big change. The Rutgers head coach was coming out of his way to come out to my school. I felt that was a big thing. I felt that means he is very serious about keeping (Clark), and recruiting me."

Clark attended a practice last spring and was on campus in the fall for a game, but he noticed a huge change in the atmosphere on the Rutgers campus during junior day.

"Honestly, it's like a big change from when I first went there to their spring practice and when I went to the spring game," Clark said. "The atmosphere, I feel, is different. The coaching staff is 10 times different. I feel they are for the players now. They want to see what is in your best interest. They're not all for football, football, football. They are for academics, family, then football."

There was already a lot of positives working in Rutgers' favor heading into Monday, when another interesting twist took place. Rutgers became the first school to offer Clark's brother, Jamaal Beaty, an interior offensive lineman at St. John Vianney.

"I talk to Rutgers on a daily basis," Clark said.

Clark said he does not have any visits set up because of wrestling season, but added North Carolina, Florida, Penn State, Ohio State and Miami are all recruiting him hard as well.