When David McCarthy’s father, Dennis, first started recruiting high school football in the state of New Jersey more than 30 years the goal wasn’t necessarily to turn it into a business that catered to dozens of college coaches across the Northeast.
“My dad started it in the nineties as a hobby,” recalled David, who took over the company and its day-to-day operations since Dennis passed away in 2017. “Then colleges realized it was top info and then basically they started paying us for the product. They really liked the info so much and then we just kind of built it into a business.”
Now in its fourth decade of publication, The McCarthy Report continues to scout and rank the top high school football talent, its service currently used by more than 60 college coaches across all levels.
All these years later, its roots remain in Southern Bergen County as David, a Lyndhurst native works with a host of trusted sources including his friend since high school, longtime local coach Mike Voza, David’s brother, Ryan and former Hackensack star running back Cedric Brown as well as countless high school coaches all across the state.
It comes as no surprise to any high school or college football fan that this year’s senior class, the Class of 2025 is another strong one in New Jersey. But unlike past years when the state’s top talent all leaves to go to national powers, several of the Garden State’s premier prospects have decided to stay home for college and commit to play at Rutgers.
Six of McCarthy’s top 14 prospects in this year’s class have verbally committed to Rutgers, including his No. 1 overall prospect, linebacker Kamar Archie. Archie, who plays at The Hun School in Princeton is someone McCarthy believes “could start at Rutgers a year from now.”
The others, Toms River North offensive lineman Ja’elyne Matthews, linebackers DJ McClary (Snyder) and Talibi Kaba (Hillside) and wide receivers Shayne Degraffenreidt (Atlantic City) and Michael Thomas III (Donovan Catholic) are at the core of a class that McCarthy believes could transform Scarlet Knights’ future.
“I’m pleasantly surprised. Rutgers has done really well this recruiting cycle,” McCarthy said. “Rutgers has really, to me, with the number of kids and the number of top prospects who have committed to them is significant. Many of them could play for almost anyone in the country. This class could absolutely go a long way in Rutgers making noise in the Big 10.”
As usual, McCarthy’s rankings have plenty of players from the nearby Bergen County non-publics with Bergen Catholic wide receiver Quincy Porter, an Ohio State commit, ranked No. 2, followed by Millville receiver Lotzeir Brooks (committed to Alabama), St. Joseph Regional defensive Jahmir Joseph (Penn State) and Paramus Catholic offensive lineman Malachi Goodman (uncommitted) rounding out his top five.
While The Observer area does not have the kind of prospects this year who measure up with those heading to Power 4 conferences, McCarthy sees an intriguing batch of players who surely could help a college program.
McCarthy’s top local prospect for this year is Lyndhurst senior quarterback Shawn Bellenger. McCarthy calls the 6-foot-2, 195-pound three-sport standout as “A super intelligent field general who reads defenses well and has the arm to fit the ball into tight windows.”
Belleville running back Jeremiah Cook (5-8, 190) is McCarthy’s No. 2 prospect in the area. While Cook battled injuries as a junior, McCarthy sees him as “an explosive and instinctive runner.”
Bellenger’s teammate, Roddy Morinho is McCarthy’s No. 3 prospect. The 6-0, 205-pound Morinho is one who could potentially play at running back or linebacker at the next level with McCarthy impressed with Morinho’s ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
McCarthy’s No. 4 prospect and top junior in the area is Nutley running back/defensive back Zahir Weatherington. The 5-10, 175-pound Weatherington, who moved to Nutley from Clifton this offseason and possesses elite speed. Weatherington’s new teammate, Nutley QB Clark Mohrbutter is McCarthy’s No. 5 prospect.
Rounding out McCarthy’s list of top 10 prospects is Nutley RB/LB Tyler Von Roth at No. 6 followed by Bloomfield RB/DB Mekhi Field. McCarthy has North Arlington WR/DB Julian Moya at No. 8, Belleville WR/S Elijah Pickering at No. 9 and Kearny OL/LB Eli Ardolino at No. 10.
McCarthy also cited Lyndhurst senior WR/DB Anthony Amaro, Nutley junior WR/DB Jeremiah Tirado and Bloomfield’s James Fields and Gabe McCullough as honorable mentions.
Learn more about the writer ...
Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)