When the 2017 Syracuse football season came to a close, there was a lot of chatter about who would replace star linebackers Zaire Franklin and Paris Bennett. Those two were the heartbeat of a defense that looked much better (at times) than it did in an embarrassing 2016 campaign. 
With the commitment of 2018 linebacker Tre Allison, that answer becomes a bit more clear. Allison, a 6-foot-1, 212 pound outside linebacker announced earlier today that he has decommitted from Southern Methodist University to join Dino Babers and the Orange:
Respect my decision üôè pic.twitter.com/XHsGoIuaip
— Tre Allison (@Allison_Tre) December 10, 2017
As Allison stated in his post, he plans to make the commitment official on December 20th, which is the first day of the early signing period.
This is a more than solid grab for the Orange. Allison comes in at 32nd in ESPN‚Äôs 2018 outside linebacker rankings. The John Tyler High School (Tyler, TX) senior also had an offer from Mississippi State, but chose to leave SMU to become the newest member of SU‚Äôs 2018 recruiting class. As a result of coach Chad Morris leaving Southern Methodist for Arkansas, many of the Mustangs’ recruits are deciding to head elsewhere.¬†
Allison is a tackling machine. Over his past two high school seasons, he’s totaled 207 tackles, according to 247Sports. Allison’s ability to get to the football is clear in his 2017 highlight tape. That kind of skill is exactly what the Orange needs. Seniors Bennett and Franklin combined to make 200 tackles for the Syracuse defense this year.
Baring any unexpected additions to the 2018 class, Allison will come to campus next year as the teams’ highest rated freshman linebacker. There’s no denying that his services will likely be needed sooner rather than later.
All of the sudden, Babers’ 2018 recruiting class is starting to shape up nicely. 247Sports currently ranks it as the 38th best in the nation.
