Syracuse Having Success Recruiting in New York
Syracuse football picked up an important commitment on Saturday as a defensive tackle out of Cardinal Hayes in the Bronx (N.Y.), Elijah Fuentes, announced his decision to play for the Orange. Fuentes is the latest example of strong recruiting work Syracuse has done in their home state in the 2021 class.
Fuentes represents the third player from New York to commit to Syracuse in this recruiting cycle. The three Empire State products represents the most from Syracuse since the 2018 class when Trill Williams, Qadir White and Gabe Horan all signed. In fact, Syracuse has only had one home state player sign in the last two recruiting cycles combined.
In addition to Fuentes, Syracuse has received commitments from linebacker Malik Matthew and defensive tackle Jaelin Moss. Matthew is a linebacker out of Lehman High in the Bronx. He picked Syracuse over Boston College, Rutgers, Temple and others.
Moss stars at Fairport High School in Fairport (N.Y.), located in Western New York. While Moss did not have other power five offers, he is from a lightly recruited school that many do not evaluate. The lack of a camp season also likely impacted his ability to showcase his skills. When you watch him on film, it is easy to see why Syracuse likes him.
Fuentes also had offers from Boston College and Rutgers as well as Duke and others. Syracuse landing targets they prioritized over regional recruiting rivals that often dip into New York for recruits is important. Greg Schiano has some buzz to reenergize a stagnant Rutgers program and has recruited well thus far. Landing two prospects in Syracuse's home state that Schiano was after was important for perception.
As Syracuse continues to build under head coach Dino Babers, they must recruit well in their home state. The 2021 class shows they are doing just that. This should provide momentum for the 2022 class, which has some very talented prospects that the Orange are expected to prioritize.
