PISCATAWAY -- He committed in late-April 2016, turning down offers from Boston College and Temple to join the 2017 Rutgers recruiting class.

At the time, Everett Wormley was an under-the-radar recruit -- given just two stars in Scout.com's recruiting rankings and ranked in the 30s in New Jersey by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com -- who had produced a solid junior campaign (29 receptions for 573 yards and eight TDs) at Burlington High School.

Now? The 6-0, 198-pound wide receiver is in line to see significant playing time for a Rutgers team that could play as many as three true freshmen pass-catchers in the opener this Friday against Washington.

Just ask Jerry Kill, the Rutgers offensive coordinator, who called Wormley "the surprise'' of training camp.

"Wormley is, strength-wise, size-wise, ready to play,'' Kill said. "He's an athletic dude. I mean, he's done well. Really, really done well.''

Consider it a ringing endorsement for a player who recorded 28 receptions for 486 yards and four touchdowns to go along with 215 rushing yards and another score last fall at his South Jersey high school.

Asked what Wormley has done to make him the surprise of camp, Kill said he's simply made plays.

"Making big plays,'' Kill said. "Throwing the ball over the top, (he's) catching the football. He's made a lot of big plays going up and getting the ball. That's been impressive. He'll block you and he's a big and physical kid at his age as a freshman.''

While fifth-year seniors Janarion Grant and Damon Mitchell are virtual locks to start at wideout for Rutgers against Washington, several players are in the mix in three- and four-wide formations, including redshirt sophomore Jawuan Harris, sophomore Dacoven Bailey and freshmen Bo Melton and Hunter Hayek.

"Hunter Hayek has had an unbelievable camp,'' Kill said. "Dacoven Bailey we moved outside and he's made some great plays. So I think there's six or seven guys there that (makes us) a lot better. You look at the young kids they're going to be playing against Washington. We're going to throw Bo Melton out there and Hunter has a chance to play some and then Wormley. ... So they'll find out.

"They're going to go against some of the best skill players in the country in Washington. It'll be good for them. Sooner or later you gotta find out where you're at. We'll probably have a more realistic look than anybody in the country because of who we're playing.''

Wormley, who Rutgers wide receivers coach Jafar Williams called "a very intelligent player,'' is embracing the challenge of going against a Washington team that boasted the Pac-12's best pass defense last season.

"Definitely looking forward to playing,'' Wormley said early in training camp. "Coach Ash tells us every day, 'Look, some of you freshmen are going to have to get ready to play against Washington from Day 1,' so I've been going out every day and preparing for that. Running with the first-team and going against guys like Isaiah (Wharton) and Bless (Austin) and Damon (Hayes), that gets us ready because there's not too many corners out there that are better than them.

"So if we can go out there, run routes and catch passes against them, we can do it against anyone in the country.''

Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.