Top 5 Knights in NFL

Turning the calendars to June and concluding the spring evaluation period, ScarletReport.com introduces a new series. The “30 lists in 30 days” series is designed to lead us into the camp circuit. Have your own thoughts on one of our lists? Feel free to debate on the message boards. Today, we look at the top five (active) Knights in the NFL.

5.) Tennessee Titans WR Kenny Britt — Britt’s off the field struggles through his first two seasons as a professional are well documented. But there is no arguing with what he can do on the gridiron.

Britt quickly made a name for himself in his rookie season because of a strong connection with Vince Young. Against the Arizona Cardinals, Britt made one of the top catches of the season, leaping in the back of the end zone to secure a comeback victory.

Against the Philadelphia Eagles last season, Britt caught three touchdowns and exploded for 225 yards in a victory. He has 1,476 career receiving yards and 12 touchdowns and will be remembered as the first Scarlet Knight to go in the first round of the NFL Draft.

4.) San Francisco 49ers OT Anthony Davis — Davis followed in Britt’s footsteps by leaving Rutgers a season early to become a first-round draft pick. The Piscataway High School product and three-year Rutgers starter surpassed Britt as the highest draft pick in school history. The 49ers took Davis at No. 11.

Davis started at right tackle for the 49ers and has a bright future ahead of him.

3.) New England Patriots CB Devin McCourty — The second highest draft pick in school history, McCourty is already among the top cornerbacks in the NFL. Highly benefiting from the red-shirt season he did not share with his brother, McCourty tested well out of college, went 27 overall to the Patriots and made the Pro Bowl.

McCourty is the first Rutgers player to make a Pro Bowl in his rookie season in the NFL. He finished the a First-Team All-Pro selection with 82 tackles. He picked off seven passes, including two on Thanksgiving against the Lions.

2.) New York Giants C Shaun O’Hara and Indianapolis Colts LB Gary Brackett — A different generation of Scarlet Knight, O’Hara and Brackett have something no one else on this list have — Super Bowl rings. And both of them did it as undrafted free agents.

In back to back years, O’Hara and Brackett served as team captains in Super Bowl victories. From walk-ons to team captainship in college, both started from the bottom and are among the NFL’s elite veterans.

O’Hara has 10 NFL seasons and three Pro Bowls to his name. Brackett has 627 career tackles and two Super Bowl starts.

1.) Baltimore Ravens RB Ray Rice — There is not much to say here. Rice, a second-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, is the first modern NFL star from Rutgers University.

Rice is a Pro Bowler, All-Pro, top-five fantasy football pick and annual contender for the Madden Cover.

In three seasons, Rice has more than 3,500 yards from scrimmage.

Rice’s greatness spans beyond his NFL accolades. His name on the JumboTron at Rutgers Stadium regularly draws one of the loudest cheers on any given Saturday. Rice’s trips to Piscataway, like his visit for the Believe Bowl and spring game, creates an electricity no one else can at Rutgers.

Ask any non-local recruit what they know about Rutgers early in the process and the words “Ray” and ‘Rice” always come up. His prominence in the Maryland area is a crucial factor in the growth of Greg Schiano’s “State of Rutgers.”