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Despite a lack of on-campus visits lately, Dino Babers’s Syracuse Orange football team has still been securing commitments for the class of 2021. The latest addition? Three-star defensive end Hayden Nelson.
#AGTG Committed!! @CuseFootball @CoachBabersCuse #GoOrange pic.twitter.com/511GkBvhV4
— Hayden Nelson (@Hayden9Nelson) May 4, 2020
Nelson is from Brookfield, Wisc. and stands at 6-foot-4 and 248 pounds. According to 247Sports, he’s a top-60 weakside defensive end in the class of 2021, and the seventh-best player in Wisconsin in the cycle. Along with his offer from Syracuse, Nelson also holds offers from Iowa State, Indiana, Air Force, Navy, several Ivy League schools and about half of the MAC. At least part of that offer sheet says he’s a pretty outstanding student.
When speaking to Cuse Nation about his commitment, Nelson noted how much he liked the coaching staff and the importance of academics to him. Good to see that Babers & Co. (and specifically Vince Reynolds, who was the primary recruiter here) are still finding ways to pitch Syracuse successfully over video conferences and phone calls.
Nelson is the third defensive linemen added to this 2021 class already, joining Terry Lockett and Jaelin Moses. SU has five verbals so far in this cycle, and Nelson is the first from outside of the Northeast.
Welcome aboard, Hayden! You can check out his highlights below: