Syracuse Football: Fran Brown hit New Jersey hard with excellent 2024 class

New Jersey native Fran Brown, who was officially introduced as the new head coach of Syracuse football on December 4, recruited a lot of talented four-star and three-star prospects from that state for his strong 2024 class.

On Wednesday, which kicked off the early signing period for high school seniors, the Orange landed official commitments from 24 players, including six transfers.

Many of those new Syracuse football commits hail from New Jersey. Additionally, several of Brown’s assistant coaches are from the Garden State.

Brown and his staff, in a short period of time, did a tremendous job of hauling in a great 2024 cycle, inclusive of both high school players and college transfers.

Let’s look at those Syracuse football commits who come from New Jersey.

Here are 2024 high school commits who reside in New Jersey:

•Three-star defensive lineman Maraad Watson of Irvington High School in Irvington, N.J.

•Three-star defensive end/tight end Jahide Lesaine Jr. of Irvington High School in Irvington, N.J.

•Three-star defensive back Braheem Long of Camden High School in Camden, N.J.

•Three-star wide receiver Ta’Ron Haile of Millville Senior High School in Millville, N.J.

•Three-star wide receiver Jaylan Hornsby of Winslow Township High School in Atco, N.J.

•Four-star wide receiver Emanuel Ross of Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, N.J.

•Four-star running back Yasin Willis of Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, N.J.

•Three-star linebacker Jayden Brown of the Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, N.J.

•Three-star linebacker Fatim Diggs of Eastside High School in Camden, N.J.

Three of the Orange’s 2024 pledges are from the state of Georgia. Prior to joining the ‘Cuse as its head coach, Brown served as the defensive backs coach at Southeastern Conference powerhouse Georgia. Here are those players:

•Four-star edge KingJoseph Edwards of Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Ga.

•Three-star quarterback Jakhari Williams of the First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Ga.

•Four-star tight end/wide receiver Jamie Tremble of The Wesleyan School in Peachtree Corners, Ga.

Two former Georgia players have transferred to the Orange, and they are four-star freshman wide receiver Yazeed Haynes and three-star junior wide receiver Jackson Meeks.

Haynes is a native of Philadelphia who attended North Penn High School in Lansdale, Pa.

Both Brown and new Syracuse football defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, who are long-time friends, grew up in Camden, N.J., which is near Philadelphia and Lansdale.

Three-star West Virginia freshman linebacker James Heard Jr., who has transferred to the Orange, went to Camden High School in Camden.

Four-star Texas A&M junior defensive lineman Fadil Diggs, who is also transferring to the ‘Cuse, is the older brother of Fatim Diggs. Fadil Diggs played at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, which is now known as Eastside High School.

Robinson, by the way, is currently the interim head coach and co-defensive coordinator at SEC school Texas A&M.

Last but certainly not least, four-star Ohio State junior quarterback Kyle McCord, who has officially signed with Syracuse football, is from Mount Laurel, N.J., and played at the St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia. Mount Laurel, too, is in close proximity to Camden.

Nunzio Campanile is also from New Jersey. He is the Orange’s interim head coach and tight ends coach. Moving forward in the 2024 season and beyond, he will be the ‘Cuse quarterbacks coach.

As ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote in a recent piece, McCord has known Brown and Campanile “for a decade. He also has deep ties to Jeff Nixon, the expected (Syracuse football) hire at offensive coordinator who is finishing the season as the New York Giants’ running backs coach.”

There is a lot of football talent in New Jersey. Brown and his staff have clearly made that state a focus, while also concentrating on other recruiting hotbeds such as New York state and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

To that end, two 2024 high school commits and one transfer this cycle come from the Empire State. They are 2024 three-star edge Caden Brown of Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., 2024 three-star wide receiver/athlete Ja’Meer Thomas of Bennett High School in Buffalo, N.Y., and three-star Buffalo transfer Devin Grant, a sophomore safety who grew up in Elmont, N.Y., on Long Island.