C.J. Onyechi is among 6 Rutgers football players who have been left off the roster for training camp

Rutgers will start training camp today without the services of six players, which is related to an ongoing investigation regarding fraudulent credit card use. In a report released this morning by NJ Advance Media’s Keith Sargeant, the names of those six players were made public.

Junior linebacker Malik Dixon, sophomore defensive end CJ Onyechi, redshirt freshman safety Naijee Jones, redshirt freshman cornerback Edwin Lopez, redshirt freshman linebacker Syhiem Simmons and senior cornerback Kobe Marfo are the six players being investigated for an incident that already resulted in the dismissal of safety KJ Gray and linebacker Brendan DeVera.

Here is a closer look at how these players' absences will impact the team.

Malik Dixon – He was brought in as a linebacker/safety hybrid from junior college. Dixon saw time in the spring with the first-team defense, mainly because projected starter Tyreek Maddox-Williams was still recovering from a torn ACL. Maddox-Williams is healthy and that starting SAM spot has his name written all over it. Dixon is playing a backup role and is likely a special teamer. His loss does not really have a major impact, especially since he has never played a down at Rutgers.

C.J, Onyechi – This may be the biggest loss of the six players suspended should suspensions or dismissals be handed out. Onyechi was coming on in the spring at the Jack defensive end position. However, he had not unseated Elorm Lumor for the starting job, but he was projected to split reps at the position.

Edwin Lopez – The Camden native was in the running for the fourth cornerback position, but he was not a lock for that role. He has yet to play a down at Rutgers and with a deep cornerback position, his loss would not be felt this season.

Kobe Marfo – Part of Chris Ash’s first recruiting class, Marfo has been unable to crack the two-deep since coming in from junior college. Marfo played in just one game over the past two years and is not projected to be on the two-deep this season. His absence will not have an impact in the secondary.

Naijee Jones – The second-year safety provides depth at a position where it is needed, although he is still on the outside looking in at the two-deep. Being part of this investigation made getting Kiy Hester back all the more important as Gray’s dismissal hurt at the safety position. However, Jones is likely to be the fifth safety now that Hester has returned and Damon Hayes has moved from cornerback.

Syhiem Simmons – The redshirt freshman also plays the SAM position, but has not even been in the conversation when it comes to the two-deep. Special teams is probably the ceiling for him this season, but even that may be a stretch as he has not made much noise on the field since arriving at Rutgers.

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