Syracuse football secured 15 recruits during the early signing period last Wednesday through Friday. It goes without saying that other ACC teams were busy as well.
If you followed the Orange Fizz National Signing Day thread, you know that the early signing period is busy. So, after the flurry of news, where does SU stand?
As far as letters of intent go, the Orange tie for tenth in the ACC for the number of players to sign in the ACC last week. Virginia Tech (getting the most with 23), Wake Forest, NC State, Miami, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Pittsburgh and Boston College all got more than SU. Clemson and Duke also got 15.
And according to 247Sports, only looking at players who signed last week, Syracuse has the 12th best recruiting class in the ACC (out of 14). But, should Jawhar Jordan, Jaqurius Smith and Akeem Dixon sign later on, these signings help solidify Syracuse’s 2018 recruiting class at the eighth best in the conference.
The Orange secured top-100 recruit Lakiem Williams as well as SU’s top-rated 2018 recruit Qadir White. Williams clocks in as the 87th best prospect in the nation, the fifth at his position in the country and eleventh overall prospect from California, according to 247Sports. White stands as the 383rd best prospect in the country, 26th at his position and 3rd overall from New York, according to 247Sports.
All 15 of Syracuse’s signees are three star recruits. The three recruits who did not sign but remain as commitments to the team also have three-star ratings.
Meanwhile, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest and Duke signed all of their committed 2018 recruits last week.
Among them is the number one prospect in the nation, Trevor Lawrence, who signed with Clemson. Lawrence is a five-star pro-style quarterback out of Georgia. Clemson also secured three other five-star recruits, two of which are ranked as the best prospects at their positions in the nation (strong-side defensive end and offensive tackle).
Miami, Virginia Tech, NC State, North Carolina and Georgia Tech signed all but one of their committed recruits.
Syracuse’s NSD signings along with the commitments of Jordan, Smith and Dixon rank SU’s 2018 recruiting class 46th in the country, according to 247Sports. Miami—with the top-ranked 2018 recruiting class in the ACC—has a 2018 recruiting class ranked sixth nationwide. Boston College—with the lowest-ranked 2018 recruiting class in the ACC—looks to have the 61st-ranked 2018 recruiting class in the country.
So, of 130 FBS teams, Syracuse again will fall in the upper half of recruiting. Ending as the eighth best team in the ACC—or having the eighth strongest recruiting class in the conference—is nothing to be ashamed about. That still means it’s one of the best in the country.
To keep improving, though, Syracuse’s season record will have to keep improving. Another 4-8 season won’t help the Orange bring in higher-ranked recruits.
But improvement is what each recruiting class is supposed to bring, afterall. It will be exciting to see these new signees take the field next fall.
Published: David Edelstein
