The summer has certainly been a busy one recruiting-wise for the Syracuse Orange, who currently have thirteen commitments for the class of 2017 after entering June with only three. After top OT target Tyran Hunt put the Syracuse in his top seven last week, the Orange continued their streak of good recruiting news on Saturday when 2017 DT Curtis Harper included them in his top five, which he announced on Twitter
Harper, a 6-foot-3 282 pound defensive tackle out of McKeesport Area HS Pennsylvania, holds a two-star rating from Scout.com listed Boston College, Wake Forest, Toledo, and Iowa State to round out his top five.
My TOP 5 NO ORDER‼️‼️ AND RECRUITMENT IS STILL OPEN‼️‼️#BLESSED ⛽️™
— Curtis Harper 5⃣2️⃣ (@Neverdone_52) July 16, 2016
Thanks to all pic.twitter.com/qBra1an065
Syracuse currently has five defensive tackles on the roster, the most experienced of whom are redshirt sophomores Chris Slayton and Kayton Samuels and true sophomore Steven Clark. Rounding out that group is Tyler Cross, who redshirted last season, and Anthony Giudice, who saw time off the bench in eight games last season.
With this group so clustered together in age, it would be beneficial to land a talent like Harper so the Orange don't experience a mass exodus of talent like the Syracuse defensive backs experienced following the 2014 season.