It was only late last month that 2026 three-star defensive back Zaevion Cleveland, who also plays basketball, received a scholarship offer from Syracuse football.
Fast-forward to early this month, and the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Virginia product appears to be high on head coach Fran Brown and his 'Cuse program.
On Tuesday, Cleveland named a top six of Syracuse football, Virginia, Duke, Virginia Tech, Old Dominion and UConn. Lots of Atlantic Coast Conference flavor in this group!
Cleveland is a rising senior at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va., which is not far from the talent-rich Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, a key recruiting market for the Orange coaching staff.
Syracuse football made a list cut of 2026 three-star defensive back Zaevion Cleveland.
On May 20, Brown, a former defensive backs coach at Georgia, offered a scholarship to Cleveland. Per recruiting services, his offer sheet also includes schools such as Virginia Tech, Virginia, Duke, East Carolina, James Madison, Liberty, UConn, Old Dominion and Delaware.
Not long after securing his offer from the Orange, Cleveland had a chat with top 247Sports analyst Mike McAllister, in which he said that he was working with the 'Cuse staff on setting up an official visit to the Hill. Stay tuned for that.
Within the 2026 class, 247Sports rates Cleveland as the No. 58 cornerback and the No. 14 prospect from Virginia. Over at On3, he is the No. 59 safety, while the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking places Cleveland at No. 1,025 overall.
To date, Syracuse football has at least 16 verbal pledges in its 2026 cycle, which ranks in the top 20 nationally, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite and Rivals.com. As part of that class, it includes several three-star defensive backs.
The Orange is hoping to prevail for 2026 four-star defensive back and top-125 national prospect CJ Hester, who has the 'Cuse in his top six and will officially visit Syracuse football this coming weekend.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Hester won a state championship this past term at Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Fla. At this juncture, another one of his suitors, Florida, is at the top of Hester's list, but there is some chatter that the Orange is in the No. 2 spot and could pick up ground on his official visit to Central New York.