2027 ATH Jayden Alford reacts Syracuse visit: 'I had a great time'

2027 ATH Jayden Alford got his first look at Syracuse over the weekend when he visited to take in SU’s 27-20 overtime win against Connecticut.

The Philadelphia (PA) Roman Catholic athlete got to experience the game day crowd, interact with the players and got to know the coaches better during the trip. He had come in with high expectations, and he said the visit met them all.

"I had a great time," Alford said to The Juice Online. "My favorite parts of the trip were getting to know the coaches at Syracuse, building bonds with great people, and learning new things while watching the game that I will apply when I’m on the field.”

Alford recaps his visit to Syracuse

Among the coaches he got to interact with included Dyshawn Davis, Trenton Sherman and Fran Brown.

"The visit at Syracuse made me highly more interested in the program,” Alford said. “It definitely motivated me and drives me to be better so I can possibly attend Syracuse.”

He got to take in an exciting game. Syracuse trailed for most of the afternoon, and with six minutes left, found itself in a precarious situation down 17-6.

But quarterback Steve Angeli found Justus Ross-Simmons for a 53-yard touchdown strike, and that seemingly opened the gates for the Orange. SU would outscore the Huskies 21-3 the rest of the way and into the extra frame to come away with its first win of the season.

Alford is impressed with the rally

The eventual game-winning score happened right in front of the dozen-plus recruits on hand.

"The comeback was amazing and definitely showed that the players at Syracuse are well coached, and pushed to finish in practice,” Alford said. “That way, when the games come and they are in situations like that, they have the drive to finish and make a comeback.”

Alford said Syracuse is among the schools showing him the most interest. He also holds offers from Old Dominion, Delaware State, Monmouth and New Hampshire.

He plays multiple positions on the field, but is being recruited as a wide receiver, where he has appeared in the slot and also outside.

"I will do whatever for my team to excel," Alford said in a previous interview. "My strongest asset as a receiver is my ability to make plays with the ball in my hand. I can make defenders miss and rarely go down in the first tackle, especially in the open field.

"I also take pride in blocking for my teammates, which is something not many receivers focus on. My speed is also a factor. I can outrun my opponent when needed and only plan to get faster."

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