National Signing Day is just a few weeks away.  While the Orange tries to make its final push to some high schoolers, others are winning big awards that should have fans excited for the next few seasons.
Running back commitment, Jordan Fredericks, was named the New York Sportswriters Association Class A Player of the Year.  Fredericks, a three star recruit out of Cedarhurst, NY, put up outstanding numbers in his senior season.  The running back will join a talented backfield next season that already includes rising stars Devante McFarland, George Morris III, and Erv Phillips.
In his senior season, Fredericks put up over 2,000 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns.  He also set county records for total touchdowns.
The Fizz spoke to Fredericks about his commitment to SU at the beginning on the month. 
In addition to Fredericks, fellow recruit Qaadir Sheppard walked away with some hardware at the end of his high school career.  Sheppard, a defensive front seven prospect, was named to Class AA First-Team Defense.
He is considered one of the Orange’s top recruits for the upcoming season.  The Orange beat out local schools like Boston College, Pittsburgh, and even Rutgers for Sheppard’s commitment.
The defensive line for the Orange is going to need a lot of work after losing a couple of key players, so Sheppard, too, will have an opportunity to contribute early in his collegiate career.
Seeing the Orange recruits win awards like this is encouraging for the future.  But more important than the individual players is the region that they come from.  After dubbing itself “New York’s College Team,” the Orange is working some of its recruiting magic in the Empire State.  The team already recruits relatively well in the Midwest and southern Florida, but, continuously getting players from New York and the northeast could be much more valuable for the program down the road.  It will take a while to develop a consistent, strong presence; but getting two award winning recruits is a great start.
Posted:  Jason Weingold
