Syracuse Football: SU lands prediction for 4-star defensive back from N.J.

Syracuse football (Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports)
Syracuse football (Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports)

Syracuse football recently made the top seven of 2024 four-star defensive back/athlete Willy Love from New Jersey, and the Orange has also picked up an analyst prediction in Love’s recruitment.

Earlier this month, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive back/linebacker/wide receiver disclosed via Twitter a top seven of the ‘Cuse, Maryland, Rutgers, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Texas A&M and West Virginia.

Big Ten Conference member Rutgers has received some analyst buzz in Love’s recruiting process on various recruiting Web sites, with 247Sports national analyst Brian Dohn logging a prediction in the direction of the Scarlet Knights for Love back in early May.

However, in recent days, a projection arrived in the Orange’s direction for Love on Rivals.com.

While this is encouraging for Syracuse football, Love did say in a recent interview that he’s taking his time with his recruitment, so by no means is it a guarantee that he will ultimately choose the ‘Cuse.

Syracuse football continues to pursue 2024 four-star prospect Willy Love.

Love is a rising senior at Eastside High School in Camden, N.J. He has visited the Hill on numerous occasions and received a scholarship offer from the Orange coaching staff in April of 2022.

For example, this past Saturday, according to SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister, Love participated in the Orange’s seven-on-seven camp.

Per McAllister, after the camp concluded, Love had a chance to speak with the new ‘Cuse safeties/rovers coach, Darrell Perkins.

As far as a commitment announcement is concerned, Love said to McAllister, “This upcoming season I’ll make a decision.”

For what it’s worth, Syracuse football has scored numerous verbal commitments from high-school prospects out of the state of New Jersey within the team’s 2024 cycle.

Love is cousins with defensive back Duce Chestnut, who played two seasons for the Orange and now suits up for Southeastern Conference squad LSU.

Throughout his recruiting process, Love has acquired around 20 offers from a variety of high-major programs. His offer sheet includes two-time defending national champion Georgia, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Boston College, Cincinnati, UConn, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, West Virginia, Texas A&M and Temple, among others.

When I penned this column, ESPN had Love at No. 173 nationally in the 2024 class, as well as the No. 13 outside linebacker. Rivals.com places him as the No. 27 athlete in this cycle.

Love is also a top-400 national prospect in the 2024 class, according to both the industry-generated 247Sports Composite and the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking.