By now, Syracuse football fans are probably tired of the program hauling in three star recruits. However, that’s just changed. Class of 2017 commit Tommy DeVito recently saw his name soar up recruiting boards and tack on another star. This makes the Don Bosco Prep product the Orange’s first four star quarterback since A.J. Long, who has since transferred from the program due to medical ineligibility. After impressive performances at the Elite 11 camp and earning All-Tournament First Team honors at The Opening, DeVito received a deserved boost in the rankings and now sits at 241 in 247sports.com’s Top 247, up from 284. The 43 spot leap was by far the biggest of any recruit.
DeVito now sits among the cream of the crop of pro-style quarterback recruits with guys committed to perennial football powerhouses like Clemson, Georgia, Michigan and LSU. This marks the beginning of Dino Babers’ efforts to turn Syracuse into a prominent football school not just in the ACC, but nationally. His ability to find a diamond in the rough, like DeVito, has to make SU fans wonder if there is more secret talent hidden within the current and future roster. Babers next task is building the rest of the team around his prized quarterback. With DeVito skyrocketing up the rankings, Babers will have a selling point to future high-profile recruits of the potential to play alongside an uber-talented quarterback.
DeVito’s rise has led some to believe his commitment to the Orange is too good to be true. While it is not out of the question that DeVito may look for a more prominent football school, he has seemed pretty adamant that his recruitment is closed and has even made it public that he turned down Texas A&M’s attempt to reopen his college decision. The quarterback’s rise is certainly a huge piece of the puzzle for SU football, and this could just be the start of what Babers is building.
