Early last month, 2025 four-star speedy wide receiver and return man Vernell Brown III from Florida took an unofficial visit to Syracuse football, and that trip went well, according to media reports.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Brown, who is rated inside the top 60 nationally by Rivals.com and in the top 250 overall by all of the primary recruiting services, has the Orange among his finalists. In late February, Brown disclosed a top 11 of Syracuse football, Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, Ohio State, Stanford, Tennessee and UCF.
These days, the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten Conference are receiving some analyst buzz for Brown on various recruiting Web sites.
When I wrote this column on Tuesday, I counted at least three predictions in Ohio State's direction for Brown between the 247Sports Web site and the On3 Web site. Additionally, On3's recruiting prediction machine currently has the Buckeyes as the heavy favorite for Brown.
Syracuse football faces steep competition for 2025 four-star target Vernell Brown III.
Brown, a standout at Jones High School in Orlando, Fla., received a scholarship offer in late January of this year from the new Orange coaching staff, which is led by head coach and ace recruiter Fran Brown.
Vernell Brown III, throughout his recruiting process, has landed more than 40 scholarship offers from a range of high-major programs, according to recruiting services.
As a junior at Jones during the 2023 season, Brown tallied 1,404 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns through the air, as well as 16 total scores and more than 2,000 all-purpose yards, per reports.
Earlier this year, when Rivals.com refreshed its 2025 national rankings, Brown made one of the biggest jumps around the country, vaulting to No. 58 overall, No. 3 at athlete and No. 10 in Florida.
Multiple recruiting Web sites deem him as a top-15 wide receiver in the high school junior cycle. Brown hovers around the top 100 nationally according to both industry-generated rating systems, the 247Sports Composite and the On3 Industry Ranking.
Fran Brown and his assistants are off to a fast start with their 2025 class. On Monday, the Orange landed at least its 10th verbal pledge in this cycle when lineman Matthew Hawn out of the Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse said that he would commit to the 'Cuse.
This Syracuse football cycle is currently No. 15 nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. Orange coaches, too, continue to pursue a range of other highly ranked 2025 targets, some of whom are visiting the Hill in the coming weeks and months.
Additionally, in recent days, the 'Cuse got on the board with its 2026 class. Last weekend, four-star athlete/defensive back and top-80 national prospect Demetres Samuel Jr. of Heritage High School in Palm Bay, Fla., verbally committed to Syracuse football.