St. John’s Prep junior Jesse Ofurie, who transferred from Lynn English after his freshman year, has committed to play football at Rutgers University New Jersey in the fall of 2023.
At Rutgers, coached by Greg Shiano, Ofurie will be playing in the Division 1 Big Ten Conference.
“I’m happy for him,” said Brian St. Pierre, Ofurie’s coach at the Prep. “I think he’s been underrecruited, to be honest, but it’s worked out for him. He’ll be playing in a school that wants him, and for a coaching staff that cares for him.”
Ofurie, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound wide receiver, announced his decision Monday via social media. He put up some solid numbers during his junior year at St. John’s, racking up 800+ receiving yards. But his best game came in Week 5 last season, when he hauled in six catches for 219 yards and four scores in his team’s 39-21 win over Malden Catholic.
“He really lit it up in that game,” said St. Pierre.
Along with football, Ofurie also runs track for the Prep and recently ran the 55-meter dash in 6.61 seconds.
“He’s just an incredible athlete,” St. Pierre said. “He’s a tough matchup for anyone who has to play him. And he’s even a better kid. Great person. Great family. He’s just a solid, down-to-earth kid.”
“First and foremost I want to thank God for blessing me with the talent and abilities to play the game of football,” Ofurie said in a tweet. “To my parents, brother, and sisters, you’ve supported, guided, and believed in me every step of the way, I love you all.
“I want to thank all the schools that have recruited and offered me scholarships to their respective colleges and universities. To the St. John’s Prep football coaches and staff, my teachers, administrators, friends, and teammates. Thank you.”
With Ofurie now on board, the Scarlet Knights have 10 verbal commitments from five different states in the Class of 2023. Ofurie is also the second wide receiver to commit in the class, joining New York native Dylan Braithwaite.
St. Pierre is excited about having Ofurie back for one more season.
“We lost Jackson Delaney (to graduation),” he said. “So it’s nice to have him here.”
