Syracuse Football Recruiting: The Rundown on 2015

Edit. note: Ben is joining the staff as TNIAAM's new football recruiting source. Do him a favor and give him a follow at @NunesRecruiting so you can stay up to speed on recruiting updates, visits and commits as they happen.

Syracuse currently leads the nation in verbal commitments with 23 pledges, something very foreign to casual observers of the program. Scott Shafer's staff has identified key positions and filled those slots quickly, something that will allow them to get an early jump on the 2016 class and commit their full efforts to making sure this class stays together.

There are still a few open spots in the 2015 class, however, and these are the most likely prospects to fill those spots.

Note: I don't believe in tweeting at recruits, and don't think anyone here should do so. However if you want to follow these prospects you can gain a lot of insight into where they're looking to go. Just remember, these are 17-year-old kids, use some discretion.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cornerback

Daivon Ellison, Don Bosco Prep, NJ (@DaiEllison_2) – Ellison is planning on announcing his choice on August 11^th, which is his mother’s birthday. He’s a definite Syracuse lean, and I’d expect us to be the choice.

Offers – Syracuse, Boston College, Rutgers, Old Dominion

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Linebacker

Anthony McKee, Marion-Franklin HS, OH (@_xHeSuperSoLo) – McKee made the initial contact with Syracuse at the beginning of his recruitment, and still has the Orange under consideration moving forward. We made his top 5 and we’ll most likely host him on an official visit this fall. As this staff has proven, however, if we get these kids on campus and anything could happen.

Offers – Syracuse, Michigan State, Purdue, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Minnesota, Indiana, Rutgers, Toledo, West Virginia, Boston College, Arkansas, Cincinnati

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Defensive End

Jake Pickard, Millburn Sr. HS, NJ (@JakePickard2015) – Pickard visited Virginia last Sunday, and Syracuse last Tuesday. His mother accompanied him on the Tuesday visit, as she wasn’t with him on his first visit to SU. He’s visiting Wisconsin this week, and a verbal pledge should come soon after. Syracuse will have a tough battle here with Wisconsin, but don’t count out the Orange.

Offers – Syracuse, Oregon, Virginia, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Louisville, Purdue, Rutgers, Boston College, Illinois, Temple, UConn, Cincinnati

Amir Ealey, Coatesville Area Senior HS, PA (@mir_montana24) – Ealey hasn’t visited Syracuse but likes what the Orange have to offer. Expect him to make a visit if Pickard chooses another school.

Offers – Syracuse, West Virginia, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Maryland, UConn, Temple, Toledo, UCF

Austrian Robinson, Trinity-Pawling School, NY (@UG_Aus)– Robinson is a big kid that could grow into a DT. Despite Syracuse’s best efforts, it doesn’t appear he has any interest in attending SU, as he’s visited almost all the schools that have offered him but failed to take one of his shortest drives from Poughkeepsie to Syracuse. There were rumors he could visit in August but don’t count on Syracuse being involved here.

Offers – Syracuse, Boston College, Kansas, Maryland, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Purdue, UCF, Old Dominion

Qaadir Sheppard, Iona Prep, NY (@HoopLife_Q13)– Qaadir has had the Orange in his top 3 for a while along with Boston College and Rutgers, but Syracuse has some ground to make up here. Getting him on campus this fall for an official visit is very important, as Rutgers is probably the school to beat.

Offers – Syracuse, Boston College, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Virginia, UMass

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Defensive Tackle

Jamal Milan, Al Raby School, IL (@jmal_is_my_name, protected acct.) – Milan visited SU unofficially and really liked what he saw. He’s the number 1 tackle on the board and it would be a great job done by the staff if we can get him commited.

Offers – Syracuse, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, and a whole host of MAC schools

Wes Annan, Lake Forest Academy, IL (@NiiAnnan_79) – Another DT from Illinois, Annan doesn’t appear to like the Orange as much as we like him; he’s a Maryland lean and I don’t think he goes elsewhere.

Offers – Syracuse, Maryland, Duke, Rutgers, Illinois, Toledo, Miami (OH)

David Ryslik, The Peddie School, NJ (@DRyslik_77) – Ryslik likes the Orange a lot, and tweeted a lot about attending SU along with Daivon Ellison, and current commits Dontae Strickland and Daiquan Kelly. However, it's unclear whether the staff would accept a commitment from him while Milan and Annan are still on the board. If both of those players go elsewhere, we could see Ryslik join his Jersey boys.

Offers – Syracuse, Duke, Temple, Cincinnati

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As always, there are surprise names that pop up here and there, such as when Ty Cross committed, but these are the most likely targets moving forward.

P.S. I haven’t included star rankings as I find them very unreliable, and since our staff does not use star ratings from Scout, Rivals, and 24/7 to recruit, I won’t either.