Syracuse Welcomes Stellar Class During Early Signing Period
Brendan Smith
It has been a while since Syracuse football has felt relevant, both on the field and in the recruiting world. Even with a disappointing 4-8 record for the 2017 season, Syracuse is a program on the rise, thanks to the efforts of Dino Babers and his staff on the recruiting trail. After the early signing period, 247 sports ranks Syracuse’s class 44th best in the nation, and seventh in the ACC. In total, Babers secured 18 commitments (15 have signed NLIs) from ten different states. The main focus of the class was the offensive line, a position group with four commits. One quarterback was signed as incumbent starter Eric Dungey will return, as does Rex Culpepper, who saw brief time at the end of the season, and last year’s prized recruit, 4-star quarterback Tommy Devito. To supplement the talented Dungey, Babers and staff added four receivers, two running backs, and an athlete, all three-star recruits.
Best offensive commit (line): Qadir White (Bronx, NY), 6’7″ 330 lbs 3-star OT
Qadir White is a massive young man, which is a good start, seeing that size cannot be taught. Listed as the third best recruit in New York, White chose the Orange over Auburn, Maryland, and others. While he is still a candidate to redshirt this season, White also has a chance to make an immediate impact at either of the tackle positions. Even if he does redshirt, White will become an impact lineman at Syracuse. His size, combined with his athleticism and finishing skills make him a lethal option in both the ground and passing attacks. Some on message boards are concerned with his strength, hence the perception of a redshirt. But, playing in the New York CHSFL AAA, White faced some of the top players in the state on a weekly basis, and was able to dominate. Now, playing against defenders your own age is different than playing against men who are 3-5 years older. Plus, White will need to learn a new offense, and offensive line is one of the hardest positions for a true freshman to start at. White’s best shot at starting in 2018 will most likely come if he enrolls in January, giving him a full spring to learn the offense and work with the strength and conditioning staff.
Best offensive commit (skill position): Edward Hendrix (Washington, D.C.), 6’3″ 185 lbs 3-star WR
With Syracuse graduating their top two leading receivers last season, the Orange offense is in need of targets for Dungey. Enter Edward Hendrix. Hendrix is a 6’3″ 3-star receiver from Washington, D.C., ranked as the 75th best receiver in the nation, according to 247sports. Hendrix reportedly runs the 40-yard dash somewhere in the 4.4 range, according to Otto’s Grove. Presumably, Hendrix’s size and speed would be able to supplement the losses of Steve Ishmael and Ervin Phillips. Devin C. Butler, the team’s third-leading receiver in 2017, will return in 2018, meaning that Hendrix will have a compliment on the outside. Also returning is starting tight end Ravian Pierce, who caught 29 passes for 263 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first season with Syracuse. Hendrix could see time early for the Orange, and his speed will help open up the deep ball, a weakness last season.
Best defensive commit: Cameron Jonas (Palm Beach Gardens, FL), 6’1″ 187 lbs 3-star DB
It was no secret that the Syracuse secondary was abysmal last season. As a team, the Orange forced just 12 turnovers, four of which were interceptions. Cameron Jonas, another high profile recruit, chose Syracuse over 13 other Power 5 teams. As evidenced in the very first play of his high school highlight tape, Jonas has a knack for making plays in the secondary, which is exactly the type of player needed in Syracuse. Unfortunately, Jonas had ACL surgery in September, washing away what surely would have been a stellar senior season. Because of the injury, it is likely that Jonas will be a candidate to be redshirted. However, once he returns to full strength, Jonas can become a playmaking force in the secondary for Dino Babers.
Best athlete: Atrilleon “Trill” Williams (White Plains, NY), 6’2″ 190 lbs 3-star ATH
Atrilleon “Trill” Williams has one of the more interesting stories in Syracuse’s recruiting class. Williams runs a 4.43 second 40-yard dash according to 247 sports, and is currently ranked as the 34th best athlete in the nation. Originally, Williams committed to Rutgers shortly after tearing his ACL in his junior season. Then, when the rehab began to progress, and after a visit to Syracuse in January, Williams decided to decommit from Rutgers. In March, Williams pledged to coach Babers and Syracuse. The recovery from ACL surgery was quicker than usual, and Williams enjoyed a phenomenal senior season. Williams’s success reached a national level when his insane one-handed catch landed him the number one spot on SportCenter’s “Top 10 Plays”. It is still unclear whether Williams will find himself on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, although it is speculated that the coaching staff sees him as a defensive back. Either way, expect Williams’s name to be mentioned often during Syracuse highlights.
Overall, the class is solid, and the first time the team has been in 247sports’s top 50 recruiting classes since 2007. Syracuse filled a bunch of areas of need, mainly the defensive back seven and the offensive line. While it is unlikely that any of the incoming recruits will be starting in the beginning of 2018, most of the class appears likely to contribute sooner rather than later.
List of commits:
Qadir White (Bronx, NY), 6’7″ 330 lbs 3-star OT
Edward Hendrix (Washington, D.C.), 6’3″ 185 lbs 3-star WR
Atrilleon Williams (White Plains, NY), 6’2″ 190 lbs 3-star ATH
Cameron Jonas (Palm Beach Gardens, FL), 6’1″ 187 lbs 3-star DB
Jawhar Jordan (Chandler, AZ), 5’10” 160 lbs 3-star RB
Tre Allison (Tyler, TX), 6’1″ 212 lbs 3-star LB
Taj Harris (Palmyra, NJ), 6’2″ 175 lbs 3-star WR
Gabe Horan (Baldwinsville, NY), 6’6″ 260 lbs 3-star OT
Andre Sisco (Brandenton, FL), 6’0″ 186 lbs 3-star DB
Ja’Qurius Smith (Lakeland, FL), 6’3″ 194 lbs 3-star LB
Anthony Queely (Orlando, FL), 6’2″ 195 lbs 3-star WR
Juan Wallace (Brandenton, FL), 6’3″ 215 lbs 3-star LB
Akeem Dixon (Vero Beach, FL), 6’0″ 210 lbs 3-star RB
Lakiem Williams (Oroville, CA), 6’2″ 240 lbs 3-star LB (JUCO)
Willem Froumy (Exeter, NH), 6’6″ 290 lbs 3-star OT
Carlos Vettorello (Detroit, MI), 6’4″ 277 lbs 3-star OG
Cooper Lutz (Reading, PA), 5’11” 190 lbs 3-star WR
