In late February of this year, 2024 four-star athlete Josiah Brown put Syracuse football in his early top 10, while also noting that his recruitment remained open.
Undeniably, it was encouraging that the 6-foot, 170-pound Brown included the Orange on this list, however, the ‘Cuse faces tremendously steep competition to prevail for him.
On February 20, Brown said that his top 10 consisted of Syracuse football, Michigan, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Nebraska, Miami, Duke, Penn State, two-time defending national champion Georgia and Rutgers. But it would come as no surprise at all if Brown reshapes his list of contenders in the running at some point in the future.
Whether the ‘Cuse will continue to remain in the mix for Brown remains to be seen. For Syracuse football to ultimately prevail for him, the Orange coaching staff will have to beat out multiple heavyweights within Brown’s initial top 10, as well as some newer suitors.
Syracuse football offered a scholarship to 2024 four-star athlete Josiah Brown in April of 2022.
Brown, who has visited the Hill, boasts more than 20 scholarship offers at this point in his recruitment. Since he disclosed that top 10, Brown has picked up newer offers from the likes of Florida State, Liberty, Florida and, not too long ago, Alabama.
#AGTG❤️ I am blessed and honored to receive an off from The University of Alabama🔴🐘 @AlabamaFTBL @T_Rees11 @247Sports @On3Recruits @rivals pic.twitter.com/xRWlzv0z8Y
— Josiah(JB)Brown (@Brown7Josiah) March 31, 2023
Okay, so the Orange prevailing for Brown over SEC giants like the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs will be extremely challenging. Georgia has won the past two College Football Playoff crowns. Head coach Nick Saban has claimed six national titles while at the helm of Alabama.
Brown is a standout junior for the Holy Trinity Diocesan High School in Hicksville, N.Y., where he stars as both a wide receiver and a defensive back. Multiple recruiting services rate him as a top-200 national prospect, a top-15 multi-positional athlete and the No. 1 player in New York state within the 2024 cycle.
At this point, ESPN is the most bullish on Brown, ranking him at No. 80 across the country in the junior class, as well as the No. 8 athlete.
In recent years under head coach Dino Babers, the Orange has certainly pulled in many three-star prospects, but Brown is on a whole different level. It’s great that the ‘Cuse has made his top 10, but Syracuse football doesn’t have a good recent track record of closing on prospects like Brown.
To that end, Emily Leiker of Syracuse.com noted in a recent piece that Babers is being hands-on in the recruitment of Brown, which is encouraging to hear. It would, of course, prove massive if Babers could secure a commitment from New York’s No. 1 prospect in the 2024 cycle.