Syracuse Basketball: 2022 big man, stock soaring, eyes playing 5 positions

Syracuse basketball 2022 target Dominick Barlow is a fast-riser in his class, and his recruitment is picking up tons of momentum on a national stage.

The 247Sports recruiting service rates the 6-foot-9 power forward as a three-star, top-150 prospect within the 2022 cycle, however, some national analysts and scouts believe Barlow will emerge as a top-50 player when all is said and done. Case in point, Rivals.com just updated its 2022 national ratings, and Barlow checks in as four stars and No. 61 overall.

Barlow caught the attention of many analysts, recruiting insiders, college coaches and other stakeholders for his recent exceptional play at the 2021 Peach Jam tournament in North Augusta, S.C.

He runs on the AAU circuit with the New York City-based NY Renaissance, which is one of the premier teams nationwide in grassroots basketball.

The Orange only recently entered the expanding recruitment of Barlow, with the ‘Cuse coaching staff offering him a scholarship in early August.

Barlow, who will compete in the upcoming campaign for the Bridgton Academy in Bridgton, Maine, has other offers from teams including Kansas, Illinois, Ohio State, Iowa, St. John’s, Florida, South Carolina, Iona, Pittsburgh, Southern California, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Providence, Nebraska, DePaul, Xavier and Western Kentucky.

That list of offers will undeniably keep on growing in the near future. Andrew Slater, Pro Insight’s director of scouting, said on Twitter recently that Barlow was planning to have a virtual meeting with Maryland coaches.

Syracuse basketball is in a recruiting battle for 2022 big man Dominick Barlow.

Barlow, who is from Dumont, N.J., provided some interesting insights in a recent Q&A with Pro Insight. For one, while recruiting Web sites describe him as either a power forward or a small forward, it seems that Barlow can suit up at numerous positions.

"When asked by Pro Insight about his greatest strengths as a basketball player, Barlow responded in part, “I think my biggest strength is my versatility. I can play 3-5 as of right now and hopefully I can develop into a 2 or even a 1 if I put the right work in. I can guard all five positions.”"

These days, the position of hybrid forward or point forward appears to be getting increasingly popular, and Barlow fits that mold. I for one think that he would shine in the Orange system as the prototypical athletic and lengthy forward or wing player.

Barlow says that he continues to work on his ball-handling and his shooting from 3-point range. He believes that his passing is under-rated.

In the Pro Insight Q&A, Barlow was asked about his dream school growing up. He said it was Michigan State. We’ll have to send him a tape of the 2018 NCAA Tournament, when Syracuse basketball upset those Spartans to advance to the Sweet 16.