Monday Musings: Assessing Syracuse's Chances With Weekend Visitors

Which of last weekend's visitors will pick the Orange?

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1. Kadin Bailey

Bailey is a 2022 linebacker from Georgia. He comes from elite bloodlines, as his father is former Georgia All-American linebacker Boss Bailey and his uncle is NFL Hall of Famer Champ Bailey. Syracuse made a huge impression on him during the visit. I like where Syracuse stands here and think the Orange ends up with him in its 2022 class. 

2. Garrison Madden

Another linebacker from Georgia, Madden is about as fast as it gets at the position. Madden is a little more difficult to read, but I do think Syracuse made a strong impression. Especially academically. I think that's where the Orange has a big edge in pursuit of his services. South Florida seems to be the other school that is recruiting him the hardest besides Syracuse. He visits them over the next few days and then we should have a better feel for where things stand. If I had to guess right now, I'd give Syracuse the edge, but you never know if someone would rather stay in the south even if it is not at the power five level. 

3. Noah McKinney

The UNLV offensive line commit raved about his visit to Syracuse. He said he was genuinely surprised that a school like Syracuse wanted him to visit. After the trip, I got the genuine impression he was blown away. From the athletic opportunity to the academic one, Syracuse certainly has a lot more to offer than UNLV. But, UNLV is close to home (he is from Nevada) and he has been committed there since September. How much loyalty does he have to that pledge? How much does staying home mean to him? Important factors to consider, but I give the Orange the edge here. He still has an official to UNLV coming up this weekend. 

4. Jared Verse

Perhaps the most difficult of the four to read, Verse spoke very highly of Syracuse's coaching staff. He is one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal and would make an immediate impact on the Orange defense. He would jump into the starting lineup and might become the best pass rusher right away. To say his addition, with the loss of three defensive line starters, would be significant is an understatement. I think Syracuse's pitch was a strong one, and the Orange did everything they could to put themselves in the best position here. Next up are visits to Houston, Iowa and Florida State. The FSU visit is the one that has worried me the most from a Syracuse perspective. 

5. What's Next?

Syracuse has another official visit weekend coming up and we should have a visitor list later in the week. We know offensive line target Tapuvae Amaama is visiting along with commits Dom Foster, Donovan Brown and Joe Cruz. There will be more. I also expect the Syracuse coaches to keep in contact with the four who visited this past weekend.