Syracuse Basketball: Dior Johnson No. 3 player across entire 2022 class

New 2022 class rankings from 247Sports slot Syracuse basketball commit Dior Johnson No. 3 nationally.

The 2022 recruiting class is one of the best in recent years, analysts agree, and Syracuse basketball is going big in this cycle, led by five-star point guard Dior Johnson, who committed to the ‘Cuse months ago.

Johnson, the highest-rated recruit for Syracuse basketball dating back to Orange legend Carmelo Anthony, has emerged as a top-three player within his class.

One of the primary recruiting services, 247Sports, recently published its updated rankings for guys in the 2022 recruiting cycle, and the elite 6-foot-3 point guard checks in at No. 3 nationally.

A rising junior at powerhouse prep-school program the Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., Johnson is considering a reclassify into the 2021 class.

Whether he ultimately ends up in that recruiting cycle or stays in the 2022 class, Johnson’s positive impact on near-term Syracuse basketball recruiting efforts is difficult to accurately quantify, because of his stellar talent level and clear desire to bring other top-flight players with him to the Hill.

At this juncture, Johnson is the Orange’s sole pledge in the 2022 class, but ‘Cuse coaches are eyeing a handful of other prospects who are getting a lot of love in the new 247Sports ratings.

Syracuse basketball is targeting a bevy of 2022 players who are highly ranked by 247Sports.

In recent seasons, some Orange hoops fanatics have lamented about the state of Syracuse basketball recruiting. These fans say that the ‘Cuse isn’t landing enough blue-chip prospects, and there is merit to their criticism.

In all fairness to Syracuse basketball, though, the Orange absolutely is honing in on a range of studs in the 2022 recruiting cycle. From my perspective, the ‘Cuse appears to have 11 players from this class presently on its radar.

Per 247Sports, six of those guys are in the top 50, and the other five prospects are in the top 100. That’s pretty darn good. Naturally, a few of them have to commit to Syracuse basketball for this to mean anything.

Additionally, you have to take these types of rankings with the proverbial grain of salt, particularly due to the novel coronavirus pandemic cutting the most recent high-school stanza short and halting the AAU circuit for the time being.

Still, each of these Orange targets is either four or five stars. In numerical order, Jarace Walker is No. 6, Zion Cruz is No. 21, Chance Westry is No. 26, Roddy Gayle Jr. is No. 29, Kamari Lands is No. 38, Donovan Clingan is No. 39, J.J. Starling is No. 52, Justin Taylor is No. 58, Ty Rodgers is No. 87, Chris Bunch is No. 94, and Yann Farell is No. 97.

Cruz, an Oak Hill Academy teammate of Johnson’s, is newly anointed as five stars. Clingan, a huge priority for Syracuse basketball, soared into the 247Sports ratings. So, too, did Starling, a Central New York product who recently elected to transfer to La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.

Should a couple of these players decide to join Johnson, as we’ve noted before, the Orange is primed for an epic 2022 class.