Messiah Tilson is a true freshman defensive back for Rutgers. The 6'1", 180-pound native of Rockford, Illinois, attended Guilford High School, where he played defensive back and wide receiver under coach Anthony Capriotti. As a senior, Tilson recorded 51 tackles with one for loss, four interceptions including a pick-six, and two pass breakups. On offense, he caught 46 passes for 742 yards and added 263 rushing yards with seven touchdowns, compiling over 1,000 all-purpose yards. He earned First Team NIC-10 All-Conference honors at both positions and was named a four-star signee, ranking as national outlets's No. 25 overall safety prospect nationally and recruiting services' No. 8 recruit from Illinois.

Rutgers2026 — present