4-star WR Messiah Hampton, with Syracuse football in top 10, has huge rankings debut

Messiah Hampton, a 2026 four-star wide receiver who has Syracuse football in his top 10, recently made a huge entrance into the national rankings for his class.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Hampton was re-offered a scholarship by the new Orange staff, led by first-year head coach Fran Brown, on January 22 of this year, per his X page. According to media reports, Hampton has visited the Hill in the past.

On August 30 of this year, according to social media posts, Hampton disclosed a top 10 of Syracuse football, Ohio State, West Virginia, Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan, Boston College, Wisconsin, Toledo and Pittsburgh.

Per recruiting services, in total, Hampton holds around 15 scholarship offers, including one that he picked up from Kansas on October 26. Hampton is a standout junior at James Monroe High School in Rochester, N.Y.

Syracuse football target Messiah Hampton has made a big splash in the 2026 national rankings.

Per MaxPreps, so far in the 2024 season as a junior for James Monroe, Hampton has hauled in 44 catches for 708 yards and seven touchdowns. On the ground, he's carried the ball seven times for 59 yards and one score.

Not too long ago, recruiting service and media outlet On3 released its updated top 300 for the 2026 class. Hampton made a big debut in these ratings, as noted by On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power.

In this refresh from On3, Hampton checked in as four stars, No. 166 nationally, No. 22 at wide receiver and No. 1 in New York.

At the time of this writing, the industry-generated 247Sports Composite had Hampton as four stars, No. 314 overall, No. 49 at wide receiver and No. 1 in New York. Over at the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking, he was No. 324 nationally, No. 45 at wide receiver and No. 1 in New York within the 2026 cycle.

To date, the Orange staff has secured one verbal commitment in its junior class. In April, three-star running back D’Antae Sheffey of Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, Pa., verbally pledged to Syracuse football. Sheffey is a top-400 national prospect in the 2026 cycle.