Elijah Fuentes has joined Syracuse football in the class of 2021. The big DT from the Bronx, New York stayed home and can help the Orange defensive front.
Elijah Fuentes, a class of 2021 defensive tackle, announced his decision to play for head coach Dino Babers and Syracuse football. In a Twitter post, Fuentes thanked God, his little brother, and others that have helped him in his football journey so far.
I’m staying home🍊1000000% commited💯 pic.twitter.com/M6foyHREVV
— Elijah Fuentes (@ElijahFuentes19) August 22, 2020
Ranked three stars by 247sports composite, Fuentes is also inside the top-100 for defensive tackles in his class. He’s ranked 8th overall in New York state.
He chose the Orange over namely Boston College but was also recruited by Wake Forest, Rutgers, Duke, Buffalo, and UMass, all of whom offered him a scholarship.
He brings loads of strength, as the 6-foot-3 tackle is listed at 260 pounds. Throughout his highlight video below, a few things stand out. He constantly applies pressure up the middle and often makes on-ball tackles even with another offensive player trying to block him. Perhaps more noticeable is how it seems like anyone who runs into him is being hit by a brick wall, more often than not being tackled at the moment of impact, and very rarely fighting for even an extra yard.
One very interesting thing of note is how he is listed as 270 pounds on his graphic – 30 more pounds than his listing on 247sports. If Fuentes really did add on 10 more pounds, there’s no reason why he couldn’t compete from day one. That type of build would be an asset in the tough ACC. In fact, it would currently rank near the top of Syracuse’s D-Line.
Unfortunately, Syracuse football fans will have to wait another year before the 2021 recruit can finally dress in Orange. However, he’s an extremely valuable addition to the top-60 recruiting class Dino Babers has put together.