Syracuse football hits important NFL milestone

Fran Brown pitches a chance to develop and play "on Sundays" (now essentially an antiquated term) to his recruits and their families on the recruiting/transfer portal trails, among his DART and other coaching philosophies, and hailing the university's academics and an opportunity to earn a degree.

There is evidence to the message that is ringing in recruits' ears

Some 30 high school players have liked what they've heard from the 'Cuse coaches this year with verbal commitments to the Orange, and that has the 2026 class ranked among the Top 30 schools in some rankings. The forming of the 2027 class is well underway with eight commitments (as of of Oct. 24), among the best early '27 commitments nationally.

The SU head coach has also cited during the team's current five game losing streak, a "building the program" mantra that stems off the fact that he lost a lot of talent from his first 'Cuse squad that finished with a rare 10-win season and bowl victory.

Brown reminds anyone who will listen that the program is trying to replace 12 players from last season who were either drafted or signed as free agents, and are involved with NFL teams playing professionally as either an active, 53-man roster player (48 players dress on game day), or in development on a team's 17 member practice squad (or waived due to injury), and it's going to take time to build a roster comprising a majority of players with significant game experience.

The latest of those 12 former 2024 SU players is cornerback Clarence Lewis, who played for Brown after four seasons at Notre Dame. He signed as a free agent with the Tennessee Titans last spring before being waived, and was signed Tuesday to the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

Syracuse's NFL representation figures to continue to increase with Brown's recruiting acumen

More talented players joining the program are going to have a much better chance to get drafted or sign as free agents, as has been evidenced by what transpired with four players drafted and eight signing as free agents after last season.

Currently, the Syracuse record for most players drafted in one year is seven, which occurred twice prior to the 1966 NFL-AFL merger in 1961 and '62 when both leagues held drafts and competed for college players, and Ben Schwartzwalder's 1959 national championship team had plenty of talent.

In the post-1970 draft era, the most Orange players selected in one draft is six, which happened three consecutive years from 1988-1990, and Dick MacPherson's near 1987 national championship team also had plenty of talent.

With the way Brown's recruiting has already transpired, and where it appears to be headed in upgrading the top-to-bottom talent level of the program, even with the draft capped at seven rounds since 1994, it will be interesting to see if there is a year or two later this decade where six SU players are also selected in one NFL draft.

SUPPORT THE JUICE ONLINE

For more discussion on Syracuse athletics and recruiting, visit our free Syracuse Orange discussion forum.