Rutgers WR KJ Duff returning to Scarlet Knights for 2026 season

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Rutgers football will have one of its premier offensive weapons back for the 2026 season, as star wide receiver KJ Duff officially announced his return to the Scarlet Knights on Friday evening for his third consecutive year with the program. The announcement came during Rutgers’ men’s basketball game against Ohio State at Jersey Mike’s Arena, where a highlight reel of Duff’s plays was shown on the jumbotron, ending with a graphic reading “Back on the Banks,” before he stepped onto the court to a raucous ovation from the home crowd. Standing alongside athletic director Keli Zinn, Duff confirmed that he will remain with the Scarlet Knights.

Duff’s return is a major boost for Rutgers’ offense, which was among the most productive in the Big Ten last season under offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound receiver led the Scarlet Knights in nearly every receiving category in 2025, concluding his sophomore season with 60 receptions for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. That yardage ranked third in the Big Ten and made Duff the seventh player in Rutgers history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. He also led the country with 20 contested catches, according to ProFootballFocus.

The Riverhead, New York native had several exceptional performances in 2025, including a 241-yard, 72-yard touchdown game on six catches against Purdue in West Lafayette. He also made highlight-reel plays against Penn State, including a one-handed 42-yard reception. For his efforts, Duff earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches, media, and Associated Press and was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team.

A member of the Scarlet Knights 2024 recruiting class, Duff was a four-star recruit out of St. Anthony’s High School in Melville, N.Y., and was the top-ranked player from New York in his class. He caught 27 passes for 425 yards and one touchdown as a true freshman before emerging as the team’s top receiver in 2025.

The announcement of Duff’s return comes amid changes in the Rutgers receiving corps, including the transfer of fellow wide receiver Ian Strong. Despite losing Strong, the Scarlet Knights retained other core offensive pieces, including running back Antwan Raymond and offensive linemen Tyler Needham and Kwabena Asamoah, ensuring head coach Greg Schiano can maintain a high-powered offense. Duff’s partnership with quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis last season proved dynamic, though AJ Surace is projected to start at QB in 2026, with the potential for additional transfer portal additions.

Entering his junior year, Duff is on track to climb Rutgers’ record books. He is 503 yards shy of surpassing Bo Melton for career receiving yards, five touchdowns away from tying Brian Leonard and Bob Simms, and 45 receptions from tying Tiquan Underwood for 10th all-time in receptions. With two years of eligibility remaining, Duff could continue to make a major impact on the Scarlet Knights’ offense and potentially position himself for a future NFL opportunity.

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