Keep an eye on 2027 All-American 4-star OT to potentially visit Syracuse football

Timi Aliu, a four-star offensive tackle in the 2027 class from Georgia, is set to play in Saturday's 2026 Under Armour All-America Game in DeLand, Fla., not far from Orlando.

On the recruiting front, I'm told that the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Aliu has an interest in visiting Syracuse football, among other programs, although I don't believe that a date has been set. The Orange will host 2027 prospects during several junior days later on in January.

Aliu is a standout at Locust Grove High School in Locust Grove, Ga., which is near Atlanta. According to his X page, in the 2025 season, Locust Grove went 9-2 overall, and Aliu was named first-team All-Region.

Four-star junior OT is interested in visiting Syracuse football.

According to analysts, besides the Orange, Aliu is considering visits soon to suitors such as Florida and Nebraska. Per 247Sports, his full scholarship offer sheet includes teams like Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, East Carolina, Georgia State, Liberty and Sacramento State.

It's not clear to me if he holds an offer from the 'Cuse. Head coach Fran Brown certainly has recruiting ties to the state of Georgia, as he was the defensive backs coach at a Southeastern Conference school, the Georgia Bulldogs, before joining the Syracuse football program.

Within the 2027 class, all the primary recruiting services place Aliu inside the top 275 overall. His highest national ranking comes via the industry-generated Rivals Industry Ranking, which has Aliu at No. 185 overall, No. 17 at offensive tackle and No. 25 in Georgia.

To date, the Orange staff, led by ace recruiter Brown, is off to a fast start in its 2027 cycle, with eight verbal pledges. The industry-generated 247Sports Composite rates the Syracuse football 2027 class at No. 6 nationwide.

Seven of the team's eight verbal commits are ranked as three-star prospects on the 247Sports Web site. Athlete Tristin Hughes from Ohio, meanwhile, checks in as a four-star player. Hughes is No. 298 nationally in the 2027 cycle, per Rivals.