On Christmas Day, 2025 three-star safety/athlete Jovan Clark from Chicago disclosed via his X page a top eight that includes Syracuse football.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Clark, who holds nearly 20 scholarship offers from a range of high-major programs, says his current top eight consist of the Orange, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Kansas and Boston College.
The ‘Cuse coaching staff offered a scholarship to Clark in January of 2022, although that was the former SU coaching staff led by Dino Babers.
#AGTG🙏🏾#MerryChrismas@_MP_Football @Chris_CJ_6 @CoachDebo_ pic.twitter.com/bP8Rvpuflq
— Jovan Clark 🎈 (@__JC23) December 25, 2023
On December 4, former Georgia defensive backs coach Fran Brown was officially introduced as the new head coach of the Orange, replacing Babers.
Syracuse football has arrived in the top eight of three-star Jovan Clark.
Clark is a standout junior at Morgan Park High School in Chicago. He has put forth excellent junior and sophomore campaigns.
In the 2023 term, according to his bio on the MaxPreps Web site, Clark suited up in 12 games. He tallied 13 solo tackles, 48 assisted tackles, 61 total tackles, 5.1 tackles per game, 1.0 tackles for a loss, three interceptions, five passes defended and one fumble recovery.
Last month, Clark was named to the 2023 Chicago Sun-Times All-Public League first team as a linebacker.
@_MP_Football lands 6 players on the 1st Team & 2 on the 2nd Team on the 2023 Chicago Sun Times All-Public League Teams! Congrats to @ChrisdurrJR1 @__JC23 @AhmadGrayer @KeshawnHunt3 @tysean_griffin @IamJoshyJ @m4rcus_thaxton @s9evee @EDGYTIM @michaelsobrien @mikeclarkpreps pic.twitter.com/ImOuNfWz25
— Morgan Park Athletics (@EMPEHIAthletics) November 23, 2023
Clark’s sophomore stanza, in 2022, was fabulous as well. He registered 111 total tackles, 12.0 tackles for a loss, five sacks and five interceptions.
According to recruiting services, Clark’s full offer sheet includes Ball State, Boston College, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, UConn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (Ohio), Missouri, New Mexico State, Syracuse football, Toledo, UNLV, Western Illinois and Western Michigan.
As far as 2025 rankings go, 247Sports has Clark as the No. 33 safety and the No. 15 prospect in Illinois within his class.
When I wrote this article, the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rated Clark at No. 507 overall, No. 37 at safety and No. 15 in Illinois.
Over at the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking, Clark was No. 602 nationally, No. 32 at athlete and No. 18 in Illinois.
While Brown and his staff have done a fantastic job hauling in a strong 2024 class, Syracuse football coaches are also proving active in the 2025 cycle.
Four-star cornerback Jaboree Antoine recently put the Orange in his top nine. The ‘Cuse has made the top five of four-star defensive lineman Ethan Utley.
Orange coaches are pursuing 2025 four-star running back Jabree Coleman, who previously was verbally committed to Georgia.
Lately, Syracuse football has doled out scholarship offers to a variety of prospects in the junior class, including five-star safety Faheem Delane and five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord, among others.