Head coach Fran Brown’s 2026 recruiting class just keeps getting stronger. On Tuesday, four-star defensive back Tedarius Hughes announced he was flipping his commitment from Florida State to ACC rival Syracuse.
Hughes plays for Miami Northwestern High School, where he’s teammates with five-star Syracuse commit Calvin Russell. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound safety is ranked as Florida’s No. 56 prospect. He held offers from several top in-state programs before choosing to become the eighth Sunshine State commit in SU’s 2026 class.
“It was only a matter of time, #CuseNation. I’m home,” is what Tedarius, or “Poppa” Hughes said in an announcement on Instagram.
Hughes becomes the 30th member of a Syracuse recruiting cycle that now sits No. 23 nationally. Leading the way is Russell, a top-60 prospect and Syracuse’s first five-star commit in more than 25 years. However, also near the top of the class are two more four-star commits, wide receiver Amare Gough and edge rusher Jarius Rodgers.
Bringing in Hughes is just the latest instance of Fran Brown flexing his recruiting muscles. SU’s 2026 recruiting class continues to soar, and is shaping up to be one of the best they’ve ever had. Despite what’s been a rough 2025 campaign for Syracuse, the future seems to become brighter with each passing day.
