Syracuse Football: Expert logs Ohio State prediction for 4-star WR who just visited ‘Cuse

Not too long ago, 2025 four-star speedy wide receiver and return man Vernell Brown III from Florida took an unofficial visit to Syracuse football, according to national recruiting analysts.

That trip to Central New York, per at least one media report, went well. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Brown, a consensus top-250 national prospect in the junior cycle, currently has a top 11 that includes the ‘Cuse, along with Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, Ohio State, Stanford, Tennessee and UCF.

In the coming weeks, he will take spring visits to several other finalists, along with a trip to Georgia, which is not in his top 11 but is one of the top programs in college football, per On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons.

Brown, who recently made one of the largest jumps around the country in 2025 rankings, is eyeing some official visits down the line, and according to Simmons, Brown wants to make a college decision over the summer.

His recruitment could ebb and flow here in the coming months, but one of his finalists is getting a bit of buzz from national analysts.

Syracuse football recently welcomed 4-star WR Vernell Brown III on a visit.

Steve Wiltfong, the director of recruiting for 247Sports, recently logged a prediction in Ohio State’s direction for Brown, with a medium confidence level. Additionally, the On3 recruiting prediction machine has the Buckeyes heavily in the lead for Brown, a standout at Jones High School in Orlando, Fla.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that Brown is going to ultimately commit to Ohio State, but either way, the Orange faces stiff competition to win out here.

Throughout his recruiting process, Brown has secured more than 40 offers. The new Syracuse football staff, led by head coach and ace recruiter Fran Brown, offered a scholarship to Vernell Brown III in late January of this year.

In a recent interview with Wiltfong, Brown’s dad said that his son’s visit to the Hill “was good,” adding, “I think that staff is really a genuine staff. Fran is obviously a great guy, hell of a recruiter, has a genuine staff around him. They understand the task at hand at Syracuse and they’re well on their way to turning that program.”

In his junior term at Jones, Brown generated 1,404 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns through the air, as well as 16 total scores and more than 2,000 all-purpose yards. Wiltfong notes that the ‘Cuse recruit is also excellent in the secondary.

To that end, Brown’s dad says that Syracuse football coaches envision that his son could play a key role for the Orange on offense, defense and special teams.

“A big thing obviously him being able to play both ways there,” Brown’s dad said. “That was the big thing, be a contributor right away.”

When Rivals.com recently updated its 2025 national rankings, Brown skyrocketed from No. 216 nationwide to No. 58 overall, along with No. 3 at athlete and No. 10 in Florida.

Both industry-generated rating systems, the 247Sports Composite and the On3 Industry Ranking, place Brown around the top 100 nationally, the top 10 at wide receiver and the top 15 in Florida within his class.