Late Sunday night, Syracuse football scored its third verbal commitment of the day in the 2024 class, as three-star defensive end/tight end Jahide Lesaine Jr. from New Jersey said on his X page that he was pledging to the Orange and its new staff, led by head coach Fran Brown.
The 6-foot-4, 234-pound Lesaine, who had been verbally committed to Kent State, is a senior at Irvington High School in Irvington, N.J. As I’ve noted on many occasions lately, Brown and some of his assistants, namely new defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, have deep recruiting ties to the state of New Jersey and throughout the Northeast region.
According to his bio on the 247Sports Web site, Lesaine gave a verbal commitment to Mid-American Conference member Kent State on December 4. He was one of numerous prospects on the SU campus this past weekend taking official visits to Syracuse football.
THANKYOU TO @CoachSmokeNJ AND @FranBrownCuse FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL BE COMMITTED TO @CuseFootball @SyracuseOn247 #CuseFamily🍊#irvtuff4life pic.twitter.com/Gl2dz1w3U9
— 3⭐️ jahide lesaine jr (@JahideJr) December 11, 2023
It seems his trip to Central New York sealed the deal for the ‘Cuse, as Lesaine verbally pledged to the Orange.
Syracuse football has landed a commitment from 2024 three-star prospect Jahide Lesaine Jr.
Lesaine is listed on various recruiting Web sites as a tight end, a defensive end and a wide receiver. His full offer sheet, according to recruiting services, includes the Orange, Kent State, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Northern Arizona and Monmouth.
Most of the primary recruiting services rate Lesaine as three stars. ESPN has him as the No. 139 defensive end in the 2024 cycle.
When I wrote this column on Monday, the industry-generated 247Sports Composite placed him at No. 1,935 nationally, No. 103 at tight end and No. 44 in New Jersey. Over at the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking, Lesaine checked in at No. 1,821 overall, No. 108 at tight end and No. 42 in New Jersey.
"In an interview with SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister, Irvington head coach Smoke Pierre said of Lesaine, “He dominates the line of scrimmage every single week. Quick twitch kid that plays with violence. Jahide is long, rangy and can bend well. Has a knack for getting to the ball.”"
Just a week ago, SU Athletics formally introduced Brown as the Orange’s head coach, replacing Dino Babers. Brown and Robinson, long-time friends, grew up together in Camden, N.J. Already, their New Jersey recruiting connections are paying dividends for the ‘Cuse.
Besides Lesaine, on Sunday, Syracuse football picked up verbal commitments from two other prospects who hail from New Jersey and were on official visits to the Hill this past weekend.
Yasin Willis, a 2024 four-star running back out of Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, N.J., flipped from fellow Atlantic Coast Conference squad Pittsburgh to the Orange.
Jaylan Hornsby, a 2024 four-star wide receiver who attends Winslow Township High School in Atco, N.J., flipped to the ‘Cuse from Southeastern Conference squad Texas A&M. Robinson, by the way, is currently the interim head coach and co-defensive coordinator at Texas A&M.