Recruiting Impact: Justin Taylor
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Syracuse landing Justin Taylor is extremely important for the Orange. It is a big recruiting win for the program and the coaching staff. But how does this impact Syracuse's recruiting efforts moving forward?
The first part is obvious. Syracuse spent a lot of time and effort recruiting Taylor. Not landing him would have been a big blow, as Syracuse would have had to move on to secondary options. That means a new round of evaluations, developing relationships where you are potentially behind other programs, etc. Taylor committing prevents all of that from happening while adding a very talented player to the 2022 class.
The second part is not as obvious, but Taylor's ability to be a domino for the class. Taylor and Kyle Filipowski both officially visited Indiana at the same time. There is no doubt the two talked to each other including about the possibility of playing together. Taylor is a known and respected player among other recruits in the 2022 class. Filipowski being recruited by Taylor will only help Syracuse's efforts with one of the class' most intriguing forward prospects.
That domino could extend to Donovan Clingan, Quadir Copeland and JJ Starling as well. Good players want to play with other good players. Syracuse landing Kamari Lands and Justin Taylor already this cycle makes it a more attractive destination for other top recruits.
The addition of Taylor was also important for perception of the program. There was a perception that recruiting had dipped for Syracuse basketball. As the Orange gets further from NCAA sanctions, the last two recruiting cycles are proving that the program is back to recruiting at an elite level. Syracuse still has to finish the 2022 cycle strong, but it has set itself up for a dynamic class with the first two commitments.