Syracuse football scores visit from 4-star from Virginia, elite top-10 defensive back

Four-star Andre Clarke Jr., an elite defensive back in the sophomore cycle who hails from Virginia, plans to visit Syracuse football later this month.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Clarke, a top-60 national prospect in the 2026 class according to 247Sports, recently said on his X page that he will visit the ‘Cuse on April 20, which is the date of the team’s annual spring game.

Clarke is a standout athlete/defensive back at Hermitage High School in Henrico, Va., near Richmond. When I wrote this article, it was unclear to me whether he has received a scholarship offer from the Orange coaching staff.

Per Rivals.com, he holds more than 20 offers from teams including Appalachian State, Duke, East Carolina, Florida State, James Madison, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ole Miss, N.C. State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Washington, West Virginia and SMU, among others.

Later this month, Syracuse football will get a visit from 4-star DB Andre Clarke Jr.

At the time of this writing, Clarke checked in at No. 52 overall, No. 6 at cornerback and No. 4 in Virginia within the 2026 cycle, according to 247Sports.

The industry-generated 247Sports Composite, when I penned this piece, placed him at No. 92 nationwide, No. 8 at cornerback and No. 5 in Virginia.

Over at the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking, Clarke was No. 162 nationally, No. 15 at safety and No. 8 in Virginia.

By extension, Rivals.com rates him at No. 244 around the country, No. 20 at safety and No. 8 in Virginia within his class.

Not too long ago, the Orange got on the board with its 2026 cycle when four-star athlete/defensive back and top-80 national prospect Demetres Samuel Jr. out of Heritage High School in Palm Bay, Fla., verbally pledged to the ‘Cuse.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Samuel was offered a scholarship by the Syracuse football staff in late February and recently took an unofficial visit to the program.

Additionally, head coach Fran Brown and his assistants have secured at least 12 verbal commitments so far in their 2025 class, a cycle that when I wrote this story was ranked in the top 20 nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.

The Orange’s verbal pledges among high school juniors, at this juncture, include several four-star, nationally ranked prospects as well as many three-star players.