Syracuse football catches top 6 of 3-star WR Larry Miles; ACC foe has some analyst buzz

Larry Miles from Florida, a 2026 three-star wide receiver, has disclosed his top six via his X page, and Syracuse football is on the list.

The 6-foot, 174-pound Miles, a nationally ranked prospect in the rising high school junior class, says his half-dozen finalists are the Orange, Miami, Michigan State, Purdue, UCF and USF.

This news is just the latest example of 'Cuse head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff landing on a list cut of a talented prospect, whether that be in the 2025 or the 2026 cycle. It also further illustrates how Brown and his assistants are recruiting the Sunshine State hard.

Miles disclosed his scholarship offer from the Orange on January 23 of this year. His full offer sheet, which totals more than 15, includes schools such as Arkansas, Boston College, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Miami, Michigan State, Purdue, USF, Iowa, Connecticut, UCF, Ole Miss and East Carolina, among others.

Syracuse football is a finalist for 2026 3-star wide receiver Larry Miles.

As a sophomore during the 2023 season, Miles generated 1,022 all-purpose yards and eight total touchdowns for West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Fla.

In mid-June, he said on X that he would transfer for his junior year to Jones High School in Orlando, Fla. That's the same program of 2025 four-star wide receiver and return man Vernell Brown III, a former Orange target in that class.

In the late spring, Miles caught the attention of national analysts and scouts for his performance at the National College Showcase in Detroit. Around that time, Rivals.com national analyst Greg Smith said that Syracuse football was recruiting Miles the hardest out of all his college suitors.

That may still prove true, and it's encouraging that Syracuse football resides in his top six. One thing to mention here though.

In April, Rivals.com national analyst John Garcia Jr. projected that the 'Cuse would ultimately prevail for Miles. However, on July 1, Garcia logged a prediction on Rivals.com in Miami's direction for Miles.

At the time of this writing, Miami also had a sizable lead in Miles' recruitment, according to On3's recruiting prediction machine.

Now, this doesn't necessarily guarantee that the Hurricanes will win out for him. Miles' recruiting process likely has a way to go. He's already visited the Hill, and let's see if Syracuse football can get him on campus again down the line for an official visit.

When I penned this column, Rivals.com had Miles as the No. 66 wide receiver in the 2026 class. Via the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking, he checked in at No. 555 nationally, No. 94 at wide receiver and No. 86 in Florida.

Since he is from the Sunshine State, it would be understandable if Miles ends up heading to one of the Florida-based suitors in his top six, whether that's Miami or another finalist.

At the same time, the Orange staff is off to a fast start with its 2026 cycle, already securing verbal commitments from three highly rated rising juniors. Two of them hail from Florida, and they are four-star athlete/defensive back Demetres Samuel Jr. of Heritage High School in Palm Bay, Fla., and four-star linebacker/edge Izayia Williams of Tavares High School in Tavares, Fla.

Currently, Williams is rated No. 41 overall by 247Sports, while Samuel is No. 103 around the country from that recruiting service.