Elite 2025 running back Kentrell Rinehart from Ohio, who took an unofficial visit to the Hill in late January, has disclosed a top five that includes Syracuse football, and he plans to officially visit the Orange at some point.
On Saturday night, via his X page, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Rinehart revealed a top five of the 'Cuse, fellow Atlantic Coast Conference squad N.C. State, Big Ten Conference schools Minnesota and Indiana, and Kentucky out of the Southeastern Conference.
Rinehart said in his social media post that he's focused on these five suitors, but that his recruitment is still open. He added that he plans to take official visits to all of these finalists, including the Orange.
Blessed and highly favored. These are the 5 programs I’ll be putting my 100% focus on going forward. My recruitment is still open to everyone but these are the 5 that have put it all out there and making sure I know how much they want me. I plan to OV at all of these programs. pic.twitter.com/MQ8eSGajlH
— Kentrell Rinehart (@k_rinehart1) February 10, 2024
Currently, Rinehart is rated three stars by several recruiting services. He had a tremendous junior year, and I adamantly contend that as recruiting Web sites update their 2025 national rankings in the future, Rinehart will move to four stars.
To date, I'm not seeing any predictions from national analysts related to Rinehart's recruitment on the 247Sports Web site, Rivals.com or the On3 Web site.
Syracuse football is a finalist for three-star running back Kentrell Rinehart.
Throughout his recruiting process, Rinehart has received more than 20 scholarship offers from a range of high-major programs. On December 20 of last year, Rinehart said via his X page that the 'Cuse coaching staff had offered him a scholarship.
On January 27, Rinehart was among numerous highly rated Orange targets on the SU campus for one of the team's junior days, and he was at the JMA Wireless Dome as Syracuse basketball defeated N.C. State and 'Cuse legend Dave Bing was inducted into the SU Athletics Ring of Honor.
#DJRS to the Cuse?🍊 @DJRSwework what you thinking @DeejGalloway85 that 📦 deal what we been looking for 👀 @FranBrownCuse @CoachNixon_Cuse @RossDoug21 @tdotbrew @cholfoth @McallisterMike1 @cuserecruiting @cusesports44 @loudhouseFS @SSN_syracuse pic.twitter.com/JGBEE9VRvn
— Kentrell Rinehart (@k_rinehart1) January 28, 2024
After that unofficial visit to Syracuse football, Rinehart said in several interviews that the Orange was in his top two. Now, the 'Cuse is in his top five.
In the 2023 season, as a junior, Rinehart amassed 3,003 all-purpose yards and 46 all-purpose touchdowns over 12 games for Bishop Ready High School in Columbus, Ohio. For his senior year, he's suiting up for a nearby program, Westland High School in Galloway, Ohio.
Rinehart isn't currently in a lot of 2025 national ratings, but as I already noted, I expect that to change. When I wrote this article, 247Sports had him as the No. 51 running back and the No. 24 prospect in Ohio within his cycle.
On January 27, Syracuse football coaches got on the board with the first verbal commitment in their 2025 class, as four-star edge and top-300 national prospect Sharlandiin Strange of Cheltenham High School in Wyncote, Pa., verbally pledged to the Orange over other finalists Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Southern California.