Syracuse football recruit Isaac Chukwurah, a 2026 three-star defensive lineman who had been verbally committed to Penn State, has flipped his pledge to fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Miami.
A huge congrats and best of luck to Isaac! The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Chukwurah was eyeing an official visit to the Orange for the team's 2025 regular-season finale against Boston College at the JMA Wireless Dome on November 29, but I'm told that visit will no longer happen.
In October, Chukwurah unofficially visited the 'Cuse and watched Syracuse football battle Pittsburgh at the Dome. That same weekend, the Orange coaching staff offered him a scholarship.
After Penn State fired head coach James Franklin on October 12, Chukwurah said shortly thereafter that he would remain committed to the Nittany Lions while also reopening his recruitment. This past weekend, Chukwurah took an official visit to Miami and saw the Hurricanes throttle the Orange. That trip to Miami helped seal the deal for him.
Syracuse football has a top-25 class in the 2026 cycle.
While the Orange missed out on Chukwurah, a senior at the Caravel Academy in Bear, Del., who is the No. 29 defensive lineman per Rivals, head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff have done a wonderful job with their 2026 class.
For one, last month, another Penn State verbal pledge, 2026 three-star defensive lineman Alexander Haskell of the St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, flipped his commitment to Syracuse football. Earlier in November, the 'Cuse flipped 2026 four-star defensive back Tedarius Hughes from Florida State.
Hughes suits up at Miami Northwestern Senior High School alongside 2026 five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell lll, another Syracuse football verbal pledge in this cycle. Currently, the Orange has 30 commits in a 2026 class that ranks No. 23 overall via the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
The 'Cuse has one five-star commit and five pledges who are rated four stars by at least one recruiting service. The early signing period for 2026 football prospects is next month, and Syracuse football is poised to have its highest-rated class in the history of modern recruiting rankings over the Internet.