Syracuse Basketball: Top-80 Justin Taylor likely in line for blue-blood offers

Syracuse basketball will see a ton of stiff competition for 2022 four-star Justin Taylor.

Syracuse basketball appears in a solid position with 2022 four-star wing Justin Taylor, according to numerous media reports that I’ve read of late, as well as several interviews given by Taylor himself.

Under his bio on the 247Sports Web site, for example, the Orange, Indiana, Virginia and Virginia Tech are all listed as “warm” as it pertains to interest level.

In a recent interview with Joe Tipton of Tipton Edits, the 6-foot-6 Taylor says that “Syracuse, Virginia Tech, UVA, UNC, Indiana, Georgetown, and Marquette” reach out to him the most often.

Taylor has said in the past that both North Carolina and Michigan are showing interest in him. In fact, he tells Tipton Edits that he is hopeful for scholarship offers from the Tar Heels and the Wolverines in the near future.

Should that occur, and I think that it will, then it gives Taylor an offer from a blue-blood team. Plus, Michigan is recruiting at an extremely high level these days and has performed quite well to date in the 2020-21 campaign.

When asked by Tipton Edits to name a couple of schools that aren’t recruiting him, but from which Taylor would like to receive an offer at some point, Taylor said, “Duke, Villanova, and Kentucky.”

I admire Taylor’s confidence level. He wants offers from a bunch of blue bloods, and of course, Villanova has won two national titles in recent years.

If some of these offers come through for Taylor, it will make it even more challenging for the ‘Cuse to land him, but also even sweeter if the Orange does prevail in this recruiting bout.

Syracuse basketball 2022 four-star target Justin Taylor is hoping for blue-blood offers.

Taylor, a junior at the St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Va., is a versatile scorer, and not just a 3-point specialist, he has said. However, he is one of the best long-range shooters in his class, and Taylor also believes he’s the top prospect in Virginia within the 2022 cycle.

Besides the college teams mentioned above, he holds other offers from squads such as N.C. State, Butler, Maryland, Lehigh, Richmond, George Washington, James Madison, Old Dominion and Saint Joseph’s.

On a national scale, in the new 2022 rankings from Rivals.com, Taylor is at No. 69 overall, down six spots from his prior rating from this recruiting service. He is the No. 17 small forward, per Rivals.com.

Over at 247Sports, he is No. 60 across the country, No. 12 at small forward and No. 3 in Virginia. The 247Sports Composite arranges Taylor at No. 80 overall, No. 19 at small forward and No. 5 in Virginia.