4-star DB has Syracuse football in top 6; another suitor is team to beat, expert says

Syracuse football is heavily involved with 2026 four-star defensive back and top-125 national prospect CJ Hester, a state champion in Florida a season ago.

The Orange is in the top six of the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Hester, and he will officially visit the 'Cuse soon. Media reports and comments from national recruiting analysts that I've come across in recent weeks indicate that Hester is high on Syracuse football, and the Orange has a legit shot to prevail for him.

At the same time, it does appear, at least for the time being, that another one of Hester's suitors may be the team to beat in his recruitment, according to multiple experts.

Per a post on X from May 23, On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons believes that Southeastern Conference squad Florida is the heavy favorite to land Hester.

Syracuse football has to wow 2026 4-star DB CJ Hester on his upcoming trip to Central New York.

When I wrote this article on Saturday, I didn't see any analyst predictions for Hester on the 247Sports Web site. Via On3, there are at least five projections in Florida's direction for Hester, including from Simmons and On3 vice president of national college football recruiting and the transfer portal Steve Wiltfong.

Last month, Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney wrote in part that Florida "could be the team to beat for" Hester, who is a standout rising senior at Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Fla. As a junior in the 2024 term, Hester helped lead Cocoa to its third straight Florida High School Athletic Association ("FHSAA") Class 2A state title.

Hester's recently unveiled top six features the 'Cuse, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Iowa and Miami. Based on some chatter, I get the sense that Syracuse football could be perceived in the No. 2 spot for Hester behind the Gators.

Hester, in the past, has unofficially visited the Orange and conducted an in-home visit with the 'Cuse coaching staff. He will officially visit Syracuse football from June 6 to June 8. The weekend before that, he will officially visit Florida, according to recruiting services.

While the buzz is that Florida is in the lead, with the Orange and others having to make up ground, let's not forget that Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown is an ace recruiter. Also, before heading to Central New York, he was most recently the defensive backs coach at Georgia.

The fact that Brown has coached Hester's position is a positive thing. And we all know that Brown isn't scared of any other program out there, even in the SEC, when it comes to battling for a top-flight prospect.

Let's see how this all shakes out as Hester eyes a commitment announcement on July 1.