Tommy DeVito’s dream summer is over, but the Syracuse commit is still receiving recognition as one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country. On Wednesday, DeVito announced that he will play in the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game, the premier annual showcase for elite high school talent across the country.
The game is broadcast on ESPN, and the network chooses the 90 players who make the roster. The number of quarterbacks to play in the contest is almost always in the single digits, so this move suggests that ESPN — the only major recruiting site that currently lists DeVito as a four-star player — views DeVito as a top-10 passer in the Class of 2017.
DeVito’s invitation to the game is another step in his meteoric rise up recruiting boards. We could have given him his own section on this website to cover all the buzz he’s generated over the past few months. The New Jersey native announced his commitment to Syracuse in April, choosing the Orange over other other low-level Power Five schools like Boston College, Rutgers, and Wake Forest. It was a significant signing for head coach Dino Babers and his staff, but at that point, DeVito didn’t look like a program-altering player.
Then, in early June, DeVito participated in the Elite 11 camp, another ESPN-backed event that showcases the nation’s best high school signal-callers. On paper, the Don Bosco Prep product couldn’t hold a candle to the other blue-chip quarterbacks at the competition.
But DeVito tore it up. The 6-foot-2 pro-style quarterback was impressive enough at the camp to earn himself one of the 11 (that’s where the event gets its name) spots in The Opening, the final stage of the competition, where was named to the 7-on-7 All-Tournament Team. DeVito, who entered the event outside the top 50 in every major recruiting site’s 2017 quarterback rankings, completely obliterated expectations.
After DeVito stood out alongside to the best passers in the country, he began to receive attention from college football’s most prestigious programs. DeVito said was contacted by a Texas A&M coach who “wanted to see how strong my commitment was with Syracuse.”
“I told them thank you, but no thank you,” DeVito replied, according to NJ.com. “I’m 100 percent solid with my commitment to Syracuse.”
About a month after his Elite 11 performance, ESPN gave DeVito his fourth star. Now, the company has further acknowledged his status as an elite-level recruit. In Babers’ high-octane offense, DeVito could shatter SU program records when he arrives in Central New York.
