18 Rutgers athletes to watch in 2018 | Will multiple Scarlet Knights earn NCAA titles?

In our third annual look at the top Rutgers athletes to watch in the year ahead, we showcase a 2016 Olympian who is fresh off winning an NCAA title at another school, a two-sport star who could be an early-round pick in this year's MLB First-year Player Draft, a pair of All-America candidates who will try to land the Rutgers men's lacrosse team an elusive NCAA bid, a star cornerback on the mend from a knee injury, and a budding superstar women's soccer player.

Here are 18 Rutgers athletes to watch in 2018:

Had he stayed healthy and not missed the final eight games with a knee injury, Austin would've had a tough decision on his hands: whether to return to Rutgers for his senior season or enter the NFL Draft. But because he's in the midst of a rehab from ACL surgery, Austin elected to return and now figures to be one of the Big Ten's elite cornerbacks.

The first known recruit to ever sign with Rutgers after being named the best scholastic player in America, Ali lived up to that billing as a freshman last fall, earning the Big Ten’s top rookie honor after a regular season in which she tallied five goals and four assists.

Fresh off a 13-2-6 record that included a run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Rutgers women’s soccer team has turned into the school’s most successful program this decade.