Syracuse basketball 5-star targets poised to see rankings soar, per experts

In the near future, some of the primary recruiting services are likely to refresh their national rankings for the 2023 cycle, and several prospects who hold Syracuse basketball offers are expected to receive a significant boost in their ratings.

I’ve come across a handful of comments of late from various national analysts, recruiting insiders and scouts that speak to a variety of players in the junior class who are seeing their stock skyrocket.

In fact, it appears that multiple Orange recruiting prospects are in the running to seriously contend for the top overall spot within the 2023 class, according to experts.

These guys include five-star power forward G.G. Jackson, five-star guard/wing Matas Buzelis and five-star small forward Justin Edwards, among others.

Let’s examine Syracuse basketball targets who are likely to jump in the rankings.

The 6-foot-8 Jackson attends Ridge View High School in Columbia, S.C. His first college scholarship offer came from the ‘Cuse back in August of 2020.

Per analysts, some of the leading contenders for Jackson include North Carolina, South Carolina, Duke, Virginia and Georgetown. He recently landed new offers from Auburn and Texas A&M.

Multiple media reports say that Jackson had been preparing to take an official visit to the Blue Devils on January 21-22, and he’s already made trips to other contenders including UNC, Georgetown and South Carolina.

Already rated in the top-10 overall by some recruiting services, Rivals.com basketball recruiting director Rob Cassidy said Jackson’s big-time performances at some recent events “have made him a surefire bet to move up significantly” when that recruiting service updates its 2023 rankings.

The 6-foot-10 Buzelis, who competes for the powerhouse Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., acquired a Syracuse basketball offer in November of 2020.

He’s positioned inside the top-10 across the country, per some recruiting Web sites, and Cassidy recently wrote that the top five for Buzelis “isn’t out of the question.”

Orange coaches did visit with Buzelis last September at the Brewster Academy, although some insiders believe that his recruitment could come down to Duke and Kentucky.

As we noted in a recent column, Buzelis told Joe Tipton of on3.com that the college squads he hears from on a weekly basis include Michigan, Florida State, Kansas, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and Wake Forest.

Buzelis has visited Kentucky, Florida State and Wake Forest. A trip to the Blue Devils appears to be a likelihood as well. Buzelis, experts say, is an NBA Draft prospect, and the ‘Cuse faces a steep climb to win out for him.

This past July, Syracuse basketball coaches offered the 6-foot-7 Edwards, who has been crushing things lately for the Imhotep Institute Charter High School in Philadelphia.

Jerry Meyer, a 247Sports national analyst, said not too long ago that the top of Edwards’ list features Kentucky, Connecticut and Penn State.

Eric Bossi, the national basketball director for 247Sports, wrote in a recent piece that Edwards, already placed at No. 11 nationally by this recruiting service, is “one who could be making a move.”

Edwards, Buzelis and Jackson all should contend for No. 1 in 2023, experts say. Interestingly enough, at the time of this writing, the No. 1 and No. 2 prospects in this cycle, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, were five-star point guard D.J. Wagner and five-star forward Kwame Evans Jr.

The 6-foot-3 Wagner, from Camden High School in Camden, N.J., received an Orange offer last August. The 6-foot-9 Evans, from Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla., picked up a Syracuse basketball offer this past October.