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Syracuse football’s 2026 class is one of its highest rated in years.

The Orange’s haul is ranked No. 10 in the nation and No. 3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, per 247Sports.

This is the second class under SU head coach Fran Brown, and he’s expanded his range, stretching as far as California. After drawing one four-star in their 2025 class, the Orange have received verbal commitments from multiple 2026 four-star prospects.

Here’s a tracker of every Syracuse 2026 commit that will be updated as recruits announce their decisions:

D’Antae Sheffey, running back, committed 4/20/24

D’Antae Sheffey, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, native, committed to Syracuse over offers from Wisconsin, Pitt and Rutgers. As one of the earliest commits in the 2026 recruiting cycle, Sheffey is a three-star and the 62nd-best running back in his class, per 247Sports.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound back has split his high school career between Harrisburg High School (Pennsylvania) and State College Area High School (Pennsylvania). Sheffey is following the footsteps of SU offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, a former standout at State College, as he attempts to surpass Nixon’s career rushing record.

Jaxson Gates, cornerback, committed 11/24/24

Jaxson Gates was SU’s first defensive commit in November. The three-star cornerback ranks top-50 at his position, per 247Sports.

Gates chose the Orange among 11 total offers, becoming their first commit from California since 2023. Gates’ commitment showed Syracuse was recruiting coast-to-coast under Brown.

Maurice Medley, athlete, committed 12/2/24

The Orange returned to the East Coast for three-star athlete Maurice Medley. The Baltimore, Maryland, native committed to the Orange two days after attending SU’s upset win over Miami. Big Ten programs like Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State all offered Medley before he chose SU.

Medley can play multiple positions on defense. At St. Frances Academy (Maryland), he’s improved his pass-rushing technique. As a junior, he totaled 52 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and seven tackles for loss.

Javeion Cooper, offensive tackle, committed 12/10/24

Syracuse added its first Florida native to its 2026 class when Javeion Cooper committed in December 2024. Like Medley, Cooper also attended SU’s victory over Miami. He’s rated the 57th-best offensive tackle in the class, and when he committed, he was SU’s highest rated 2026 offensive commit.

Cooper, a four-star, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings, fielded 12 offers, including Florida State and Ole Miss. However, Syracuse’s location stood out, since his mother, Javara Thomas, is originally from Rochester, and Cooper has many cousins in central New York.

BJ Garrett, wide receiver, committed 1/10/25

BJ Garrett’s commitment kicked off a plethora of Delaware natives choosing SU. The wide receiver brings a long reach, standing at 6-foot-3. On3 ranked Garrett as a three-star and the fourth-best recruit in Delaware. He drew offers from Pittsburgh, Maryland and West Virginia but chose the Orange.

As a junior at Middletown High School (Delaware), he caught six touchdowns and led the Cavaliers to a state title. He attended SU’s win over Holy Cross on Sept. 28, 2024.

Jojo White, offensive lineman, committed 1/12/25

Syracuse leaned into its New Jersey connections to land interior offensive lineman Jojo White. The three-star recruit, per 247Sports, is from Camden, New Jersey, the same hometown as Brown.

He measures at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds and was originally offered by SU in June 2024. He’s ranked the 29th-best player from New Jersey in the 2026 class.

Phoenix Henriquez, wide receiver, committed 1/15/25

Phoenix Henriquez joined Garrett as the second Delaware native and second wide receiver to commit to SU’s 2026 class. As a junior at Smyrna High School (Delaware), he posted 11 touchdowns and 1,055 yards in 11 games.

Henriquez received offers from Maryland, Connecticut, and Delaware before choosing the Orange. 247Sports rates Henriquez as a three-star and the seventh-best recruit in Delaware.

Steven Pickard Jr., offensive lineman, committed 1/25/25

Syracuse bolstered its offensive line by landing Steven Pickard Jr. After starting his high school career in South Carolina, Pickard Jr. transferred to IMG Academy (Florida) and became a three-star recruit, per 247Sports. The 6-5, 300-pound lineman has boosted his skillset at Velocity Athlete Development, a training facility in Atlanta, Georgia, where he trained for 55 straight days last summer.

Pickard was offered by now-SU general manager Thomas Caporale and Brown at a Syracuse men’s basketball game and committed on the spot.

Jarius Rodgers, edge rusher, committed 1/27/25

SU made a splash by garnering a verbal commitment from four-star Jarius Rodgers. The 24th-rated edge rusher in the class, per 247Sports, became SU’s top defensive commit of the class when he committed in January. Rodgers posted a stellar junior season for Fleming Island High School (Florida), recording nine sacks.

Rodgers fielded 26 offers, but SU beat Florida State, Central Florida and South Florida to land the Florida native.

E’Shawn Sutton, athlete, committed 3/21/25

Syracuse’s 10th verbal commitment of the 2026 class came from Winter Park, Florida athlete E’Shawn Sutton, contributing to SU’s presence in the Sunshine State. Sutton picked the Orange over Georgia Tech, Pitt and Wake Forest.

At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Sutton has showcased his versatility in high school, appearing at running back, safety and nickel corner. He’s ranked the 80th-best athlete in the class, per 247Sports.

Darnell Stokes Jr., athlete, committed 3/22/25

One day after Sutton’s commitment, SU added another two-way recruit. Stokes Jr., the No. 3 recruit in Delaware, per 247Sports, plays both defensive back and wide receiver, similar to SU freshman Demetres Samuel Jr. Standing at 6-foot-2, Stokes Jr. is poised to bring height to SU’s pass catchers and secondary.

The three-star fielded offers from James Madison, Rutgers and West Virginia, but he chose Syracuse after visiting a spring practice.

Zaid Lott, quarterback, committed 3/25/25

Zaid Lott gave Syracuse its first signal caller in its 2026 class. Brown and SU’s coaching staff helped flip Lott from North Carolina, where he had been committed since June 24, 2024.

Lott was originally committed to UNC under former head coach Mack Brown, who was fired on Nov. 26, 2024. After eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick was hired, he explored other options. Lott talked with Syracuse coaches and visited SU in March, prompting the three-star, per 247Sports, to commit to the Orange.

As a first-time starter as a junior at Providence Day School (North Carolina), Lott threw for 2,869 yards and 29 passing touchdowns.

Kamron Wilson, defensive lineman, committed 3/30/25

Kamron Wilson was the third four-star commit in SU’s class, as rated by 247 Sports’ Composite rankings, and is the only player in ESPN’s Top 300 2026 Rankings, sitting at 273rd. As a junior at Southridge High School (Florida) Wilson tallied 17 sacks and 118 total tackles in 15 games.

Wilson stands at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds and was offered by 27 schools. The Miami, Florida, native, was predicted to choose Florida State by 247Sports, but Wilson picked the Orange instead. Wilson’s other ACC offers included California, Virginia Tech, UNC, NC State and Georgia Tech.

Zaiden McDonald, safety, committed 3/31/25

Zaiden McDonald joined White as SU’s second New Jersey recruit in the class. McDonald is the 638th-best recruit nationally, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings, and was the second-highest- ranked recruit in Syracuse’s class when he committed.

247Sports names McDonald, who has played linebacker and safety in high school, as the 14th-best player in New Jersey. He picked the Orange over Stanford, Ohio State and Northwestern, among others.

Shemaj Henry, offensive lineman, committed 5/3/25

Syracuse quickly formed a relationship with Shemaj Henry. The Orange offered the offensive lineman a scholarship after he visited SU in March, marking his first offer. He then announced his commitment on X before his official visit.

Henry became Syracuse’s second commit from Pennsylvania. He is ranked a three-star and is the 39th-best player in his state, per 247Sports.

Amare Gough, wide receiver, committed 5/10/25

Syracuse’s highest-rated commit of its 2026 class is Amare Gough, who ranks 215th in the nation, per 247Sports, and ninth in Virginia. As a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School (Virginia) he produced 893 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He also plucked three interceptions defensively.

Gough is rated a four-star by 247Sports and On3. The Orange were the second team to offer him a scholarship, and he chose them over Virginia Tech, Maryland and Boston College.

He also runs track and field, clocking in at 6.49 in the 55-meter dash. Syracuse players Darrell Gill Jr., Malachi Coleman and Malachi James all currently compete on SU’s track team.

Published on May 16, 2025 at 10:52 pm
Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32