Top 2027 NY tight end to visit Syracuse in April

One of New York’s top prospects is 2027 tight end Saleh Atariwa.

The Bronx (NY) Cardinal Hayes recruit holds double digit offers, including Maryland, Wake Forest, Connecticut, Rutgers and Massachusetts.

His first Power 4 offer came from Syracuse, and the Orange have continued to recruit him hard.

"I think the Syracuse program is very competitive from all standpoints, even when it comes to practice and the classroom,” Atariwa said.

Atariwa talks about his Syracuse recruitment

Atariwa plans on getting a closer look at Central New York when he comes up for a visit for spring practice on April 9.

"I’m looking forward to seeing what Syracuse is about and look deeper into how they do things on a daily basis,” Atariwa said.

Among the coaches he’s hearing from at Syracuse include Charles Watkins and Michael Johnson.

One thing he said he appreciated was that the conversations go beyond the football field.

"The Cuse coaching staff cares about me,” Atariwa said. “They are calling me everyday and checking up on how I’m doing.”

Atariwa appreciates SU's focus on New York

Since Syracuse head coach Fran Brown arrived in Central New York, he has placed an emphasis on recruiting the northeast, and also making sure that the top New York prospects stay at home.

That is a philosophy that Atariwa has appreciated from an underrecruited territory like the Empire State.

"I think of my Syracuse offer as a opportunity to show what New York football is about,” Atariwa said.

Though he holds double digit offers, Atariwa hasn’t established a top schools list yet, and is preferring to let his process play out as he heads into his senior season.

Atariwa is out to prove people wrong

He said he’s looking forward to proving a lot of people wrong after the Cardinals struggled in 2025, going 2-8.

But with adversity comes growth, and he said he learned a lot from the past season, similar to how SU went 3-9, and has vowed improvement this fall.

“It taught me a lot and showed me what's possible,” Atariwa said. "Next season is about getting better in every area and continuing to grow toward my full potential. But in a way it can relate to Syracuse football. It’s not about how down you get it’s about how you get up and act."

At 6’7” and 245 pounds, Atariwa is someone who is physically imposing and can be used as both a pass catching and blocking tight end.

“I can fit into concepts and I’m only looking to get better at it,” he said.

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