Hopefully, Syracuse football coaches will bust out the hibachi and fancy cars this coming weekend when they host numerous highly rated prospects on official visits.
One of them is 2026 four-star defensive back and top-125 national prospect CJ Hester, a state champion from the Sunshine State. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Hester has obtained more than 30 high-major scholarship offers throughout his recruitment, yet he recently named a top six of the 'Cuse, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Iowa and Miami.
According to analysts, recruiting services and media reports, Florida out of the Southeastern Conference is currently in the No. 1 spot for Hester. This past weekend, he took an official visit to the Gators.
Following that trip to The Swamp, Florida remains at the top of the list for Hester. However, from what I gather, the Orange could be in the No. 2 position for him, with an opportunity soon arriving for the 'Cuse to make up ground.
Syracuse football trails Florida for 2026 four-star defensive back CJ Hester.
As a junior in the 2024 season, Hester helped lead Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Fla., to its third straight Florida High School Athletic Association ("FHSAA") Class 2A state title. The Orange staff, which offered a scholarship to Hester on July 31, 2024, is recruiting the Sunshine State hard these days, and with solid success across its 2025, 2026 and 2027 cycles.
At the same time, it could prove an uphill battle for the 'Cuse to beat out an in-state school such as the Florida Gators for Hester. It would be completely understandable if he decided to stay "home" for college, although Hester speaks highly of the Syracuse football program and its head coach, Fran Brown, who before heading to the Hill was most recently the defensive backs coach at Southeastern Conference powerhouse Georgia.
I have no doubt that Orange coaches will do everything in their power to wow Hester, who will be in Central New York from June 6 to June 8. He's planning to make his college decision known on July 1.
Earlier this week, Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney wrote regarding Hester: "Auburn, Syracuse, Georgia, Iowa and Miami are others to watch but Florida remains the team to beat especially after his weekend visit to Gainesville and it could be really tough to beat the Gators. The Cocoa, Fla., four-star DB not only feels like a priority there but the players already on the team told him how much they love being there and getting developed."
I'll monitor how Hester's official visit to Syracuse football goes. If I had to venture a guess, my assumption is that he will pick the Gators, but one can never count out ace recruiter Fran Brown.