National Signing Day: LB Nadarius Fagan already on campus at Syracuse

While Syracuse Orange fans eagerly await class of 2017 commits to sign their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, a number of SU’s 2017 recruits are already signed and on campus. One of those names is Nadarius Fagan, who locked in with SU in July and never looked back despite some big offers coming his way.

Twitterfeed: @DadaFagan

Hometown: Miami, Fla.

High School: Miami Southridge High School

Position: Linebacker

Stats: 6’2”, 200 pounds

Commitment Date: July 24, 2016

Ratings: Threes from everyone, though all considered him a high three-star, which was backed up by the offers below.

Other Offers: Alabama, LSU, Louisville, USC, Nebraska, Purdue, USF (and more). When you’re a three-star with offers from those sorts of schools, you’re probably under-scouted by recruiting sites.

Dino’s Projected Nickname: “Who is your DaDa and what does he do?”

Highlights:

Player Breakdown:

Fagan is immensely talented (again, see offer list), and with a 4.55-second 40-yard dash time, he could potentially push for some playing time in his first year — being on campus early should only help that, too. With his speed, should he find a way to pick up the defense quickly, it could make for an interesting spring as depth charts shake out.

If Fagan redshirts or is relegated to special teams duty, however, there are still plenty of opportunities for him to move up over the next few years. Three linebackers depart after 2017, which will open up competition a whole lot come next offseason. The foundation is now being laid for who steps up into those spots vacated by names like Zaire Franklin and Parris Bennett. Fagan’s athleticism should make him a name on the short list for 2018’s rising contributors.