Rutgers Defense Rebuilds Amid Key Losses | Rutgers Scarlet News

Rutgers defense takes a hit as training camp begins, with senior Zilan Williams sidelined for the entire 2026 season and redshirt freshman Canaan Edwards gone — both announced by Coach Schiano after their first practice. Williams, a key veteran with 30 games played and Academic All-Big Ten honors, leaves a big void, especially with UMass looming in just a month. Edwards’ exit opens up the edge rusher spot, intensifying competition among younger players. Despite Schiano noting this is the deepest roster since his return, the team now leans heavily on youth to step up — defensive backs and special teams will shoulder more responsibility, while the edge rusher battle heats up. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/aa21cff9ed70683c