Syracuse Football: 4-star, 5-star recruits make big moves in 2025 national rankings

ESPN recently published updated national rankings of the top-300 prospects in the 2025 class, and numerous Syracuse football recruiting targets find themselves highly placed in these refreshed ratings.

Head coach Fran Brown and his staff have put together a strong 2024 class, consisting of commitments from at least 20 high school seniors and 12 college transfers.

While Orange coaches remain in pursuit of several other 2024 targets, the ‘Cuse in recent weeks has also turned its attention toward recruiting efforts in the 2025 and 2026 cycles.

Last weekend, a flood of 2025 prospects were on the Hill for one of the team’s junior days, and more recruits were expected in Central New York this weekend on visits as well, according to media reports and posts on X.

In the 2025 class, the Orange has landed as a finalist for various highly rated targets of late, and ‘Cuse coaches have also recently doled out scholarship offers to a bevy of top-flight four-star and five-star players in the junior cycle.

Syracuse football recruits are high up in the new ESPN 300 for the 2025 class.

This list isn’t meant to be fully exhaustive, but here’s a look at where some Orange targets reside in the updated national rankings from ESPN.

Offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. of the Providence Day School in Charlotte, N.C. – five stars and No. 3 overall

Cornerback Na’eem Offord of Parker High School in Birmingham, Ala. – five stars and No. 6 overall

Athlete/cornerback Jaboree Antoine of Westgate High School in New Iberia, La. – four stars and No. 47 overall

Safety Faheem Delane of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md. – four stars and No. 51 overall

Offensive tackle Jaelyne Matthews of Toms River High School North in Toms River, N.J. – four stars and No. 88 overall

Wide receiver Michael Thomas III of Donovan Catholic High School in Toms River, N.J. – four stars and No. 103 overall

Running back Marquise Davis of Cleveland Heights High School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio – four stars and No. 124 overall

Running back Bo Jackson of the Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School in Cleveland – four stars and No. 126 overall

Defensive lineman Ethan Utley of The Ensworth School in Nashville, Tenn. – four stars and No. 127 overall

Wide receiver Jeff Exinor Jr. of the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Md. – four stars and No. 158 overall

Wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. of the First Baptist Academy in Naples, Fla. – four stars and No. 162 overall

Running back Jabree Coleman of the Imhotep Institute Charter High School in Philadelphia – four stars and No. 164 overall

Cornerback/safety Deshawn Stewart of DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J. – four stars and No. 188 overall

Quarterback Matt Zollers of Spring-Ford Area High School in Royersford, Pa. – four stars and No. 220 overall

Wide receiver Dez Jones of DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J. – four stars and No. 276 overall

Quarterback Malik Washington of Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Md. – four stars and No. 289 overall

Edge Sharlandiin Strange of Cheltenham High School in Wyncote, Pa. – four stars and No. 296 overall