National Signing Day was a helluva day for the Syracuse Orange football program. Everyone who was expected to fax in a NLI did so and the Orange went 2-for-2 on guys who were still choosing between us and other schools.
All in all, a 24-recruit class that has the potential to be a game-changer for SU. And the rankings, if you're into that kind of thing, back that up.
Rivals says Syracuse has the 49th-best recruiting class in the nation.
247 Sports also says Syracuse has the 49th-best recruiting class in the nation.
Scout says Syracuse has the 51st-best recruiting class in the nation.
It's the best showing in the recruiting rankings since 2008 and, at least in the case of Rivals, the best ranking since 2002. For reference, last year's class was ranked 73rd.
What's really cool is how non-regional the class is. Six from Florida, six from Illinois, three from Pennsylvania, two from "softnosed" Georgia and everyone else from Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee New Jersey and New York. It might be Northern Football but our doors remain open to good recruits from all over (thanks in large part to George McDonald and DeAndre Smith).
Five wide receivers, four defensive linemen, four linebackers and seven defensive backs. George McDonald said this team will be "full-bore fast" next year. The focus is clearly there and on securing our defense's might.
Obviously, it always goes without saying that you don't really know how good your recruiting class is until about three years from now. But, on a day when SU got everyone it wanted and did so with kids who wouldn't have even considered Syracuse just a couple years ago…that's a win.
We're already a perennial bowl team with two-star kids. What can we become when we're playing with three-stars and beyond?