Photo by: AJ Mast
Duff Adds Preseason National Recognition
Aug 11 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football WR KJ Duff picked up preseason All-America honors with selections to the Sporting News (second team) and On3 (third team) listings released recently. This adds to preseason All-America nods previously by Walter Camp, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele, along with being voted to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List and named to the "Freaks List" published by The Athletic.
Rutgers opens the season Thursday, Sept. 3 hosting UMass at SHI Stadium. Season and single game tickets for all seven home games are on sale. To purchase, visit 2026 Ticket Central or call 866-445-GORU (4678). Benefits of being a season ticket holder include an exclusive opportunity to purchase season parking on Busch campus within walking distance to SHI Stadium, a payment plan option and other Rutgers ticket offers throughout the year.
KJ DUFF
Duff, an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, ranked third in the Big Ten, fourth among Power 4 players and seventh nationally with 90.3 receiving yards per game in 2025. One of three players in the Big Ten to total 1,000 receiving yards, he became the seventh Scarlet Knight to reach 1,000 in a season, the second in the Big Ten era and first since 2014. The 1,084 receiving yards included three games in triple figures with a high of 241 on six receptions in the win at Purdue, the fourth most in a 2025 game nationally, most by a Big Ten player and the second highest by a Scarlet Knight in program history. Duff led the nation with 22 contested catches according to Pro Football Focus, earned honorable mention All-America by Phil Steele and was voted Second Team All-Big Ten. The Riverhead, New York, native had at least five catches in eight games on the way to totaling 60 overall, ninth most in a season in program history, and placed second in the league with 18.1 yards per reception. Fifty of his receptions picked up a first down or scored a touchdown, as he reached the end zone seven times.
2026 Rutgers Football
Thursday, Sept. 3 vs. UMass, 6 p.m., Big Ten Network
Friday, Sept. 11 at Boston College, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday, Sept. 19 vs. USC*, 3:30 p.m., CBS (presented by Motorola Solutions)
Friday, Sept. 25 (R Community Day featuring: Eric LeGrand's "A Walk to Believe") vs. Howard, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network (presented by GGL Injury Lawyers)
Saturday, Oct. 3 (Homecoming & Family Weekend) vs. Indiana*, 8 p.m. (presented by RWJBarnabas Health)
Saturday, Oct. 17 at Maryland*, no later than 5 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24 at Northwestern*
Saturday, Oct. 31 vs. Michigan* (presented by PNC Bank)
Saturday, Nov. 7 at Wisconsin*
Saturday, Nov. 14 vs. Nebraska* (presented by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey)
Saturday, Nov. 21 at Penn State*
Saturday, Nov. 28 vs. Michigan State* (presented by Provident Bank)
* - Big Ten
All Times Eastern
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Rutgers opens the season Thursday, Sept. 3 hosting UMass at SHI Stadium. Season and single game tickets for all seven home games are on sale. To purchase, visit 2026 Ticket Central or call 866-445-GORU (4678). Benefits of being a season ticket holder include an exclusive opportunity to purchase season parking on Busch campus within walking distance to SHI Stadium, a payment plan option and other Rutgers ticket offers throughout the year.
KJ DUFF
Duff, an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, ranked third in the Big Ten, fourth among Power 4 players and seventh nationally with 90.3 receiving yards per game in 2025. One of three players in the Big Ten to total 1,000 receiving yards, he became the seventh Scarlet Knight to reach 1,000 in a season, the second in the Big Ten era and first since 2014. The 1,084 receiving yards included three games in triple figures with a high of 241 on six receptions in the win at Purdue, the fourth most in a 2025 game nationally, most by a Big Ten player and the second highest by a Scarlet Knight in program history. Duff led the nation with 22 contested catches according to Pro Football Focus, earned honorable mention All-America by Phil Steele and was voted Second Team All-Big Ten. The Riverhead, New York, native had at least five catches in eight games on the way to totaling 60 overall, ninth most in a season in program history, and placed second in the league with 18.1 yards per reception. Fifty of his receptions picked up a first down or scored a touchdown, as he reached the end zone seven times.
2026 Rutgers Football
Thursday, Sept. 3 vs. UMass, 6 p.m., Big Ten Network
Friday, Sept. 11 at Boston College, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday, Sept. 19 vs. USC*, 3:30 p.m., CBS (presented by Motorola Solutions)
Friday, Sept. 25 (R Community Day featuring: Eric LeGrand's "A Walk to Believe") vs. Howard, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network (presented by GGL Injury Lawyers)
Saturday, Oct. 3 (Homecoming & Family Weekend) vs. Indiana*, 8 p.m. (presented by RWJBarnabas Health)
Saturday, Oct. 17 at Maryland*, no later than 5 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24 at Northwestern*
Saturday, Oct. 31 vs. Michigan* (presented by PNC Bank)
Saturday, Nov. 7 at Wisconsin*
Saturday, Nov. 14 vs. Nebraska* (presented by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey)
Saturday, Nov. 21 at Penn State*
Saturday, Nov. 28 vs. Michigan State* (presented by Provident Bank)
* - Big Ten
All Times Eastern
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Players Mentioned
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