Rochester 4-star DL, 3-star recruiting targets spurn Syracuse football for other suitors

You can't win them all.

Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown and his staff are building a promising 2027 class that includes 13 verbal pledges at present and is ranked No. 30 nationally by 247Sports.

More verbal commitments could be on the way, amid the official visit "season" that began last weekend, continues this coming weekend and runs for several more weekends later on in June.

Still, as much momentum as the Orange appears to have on the recruiting trail, spearheaded by ace recruiter Brown, the 'Cuse isn't going to win out for every high school prospect that it pursues.

Case in point, on Wednesday, 2027 four-star defensive lineman Zahmar Tookes out of Brighton High School in Rochester, N.Y., verbally committed to Southeastern Conference member Florida. The top-250 national prospect had Syracuse football in his final five before picking the Gators.

On Tuesday, 2027 three-star defensive back Aidyn Wiggins out of James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., who was eyeing an official visit to the Orange from June 5 to June 7, verbally pledged to another SEC school, Auburn.

Syracuse football has struck out on a few 2027 3-star and 4-star targets.

At the end of May, 2027 three-star offensive lineman Jackson Albright out of Warrior Run High School in Turbotville, Pa., verbally committed to Rutgers out of the Big Ten Conference. He, too, was planning to officially visit the 'Cuse this coming weekend.

Also in late May, 2027 four-star defensive lineman Tyler Alexander out of Palm Beach Central High School in Wellington, Fla., dropped a final four of Georgia, Texas, Colorado and Notre Dame, according to Rivals. Alexander had taken a spring visit to SU in late March.

Syracuse football coaches, as they pursue 2027 targets, will also have to ward off other college programs that are trying to flip the Orange's verbal commits in this cycle. One is three-star offensive tackle Marcus Small out of First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Fla.

Small verbally pledged to the 'Cuse in late October of last year. He's coming off an official visit to Big 12 Conference squad UCF that went well. Small will officially visit Syracuse football this weekend and then fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Louisville after that.

Despite some of the "misses" above, it's not all doom and gloom for the Orange in 2027. Not in the least. Amid all these weekends of official visitors to Central New York, the 'Cuse will see its 2027 class grow sooner rather than later.

Syracuse football coaches, I might add, are heavily involved with 2027 recruits such as four-star running back Elijah Kimble, four-star wide receiver Chanin Harris, four-star linebacker Mikahi Allen, four-star defensive lineman Jaden Bayonne, three-star defensive lineman Jason Lewis, three-star edge Javon Lane, three-star defensive back Jalen Welch and offensive lineman Marzear Douglas, among others.

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