Ever since Adrien Autry took over as head coach in March, a big emphasis has been put on recruiting in the Washington, DC area. SU brought in 2024 four-star Donnie Freeman and just missed out on three-star Caleb Williams to Georgetown. The DMV is a hotbed for talent; top-level prospects continue to pop up each year. Who should the Orange be keeping an eye on in the 2025 class?
Derek Dixon
A true combo guard, Derek Dixon plays his high school ball at Gonzaga College High School. More importantly, however, he plays AAU for Team Takeover. The same team that Donnie Freeman currently plays for and Adrien Autry used to coach. Dixon can score at every level and is a lockdown shooter off the dribble.
Jalen Rougier-Roane
A player who hasn’t yet been offered by Syracuse, Rougier-Roane is one of the best two-way players in the nation’s capital. The wing was dominant against Dixon’s Gonzaga Eagles in the DC State Semi-Finals this past March. He was perfect from the field (7-7 FG) and shut down Gonzaga defensively. In the State Finals, Rougier-Roane dislocated his patella but has made a full recovery and is playing this summer for Team Takeover.
Tyler Jackson
Putting Jackson on this list may be controversial, as many believe that Baltimore is not in the DMV. Yes, I know that doesn’t make much sense, however, people from the DMV are very strict about it. Anyway, Jackson plays at St Frances Academy, a school known for its football team. The Panthers have produced some top basketball talent and Jackson is the best player on this list. While not playing for Team Takeover, Jackson does play for Team Melo. A teammate of another 2025 target, Kiyan Anthony, Jackson would be the biggest commit yet for Autry.
This list is just the start. There are a number of other potential stars from the DC area that Autry and co. will take a look at.
