Elijah Kimble, the 2027 four-star running back who verbally committed to Syracuse football last Friday night in a massive recruiting win for head coach Fran Brown, has put forth a stellar high school career to date.
As the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Kimble inches closer to beginning his senior season at Canisius High School in Buffalo, N.Y., he has a legitimate chance to ultimately become the all-time rushing king in Western New York.
To date, here is what Kimble has done in his three campaigns in high school:
Freshman year in 2023: 1,821 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns
Sophomore year in 2024: 1,778 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns
Junior year in 2025: 1,726 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns
That gives Kimble a total of 5,325 rushing yards and a combined 76 touchdowns. Jehuu Caulcrick, who played at the Clymer Central School in Clymer, N.Y., and then at Michigan State in college, is currently No. 1 in Western New York in total rushing yards, at 6,559 yards, and total touchdowns, at 101.
With a strong senior year at Canisius, Kimble will have an opportunity to break both of Caulcrick's Western New York rushing records. In December of last year, following his outstanding junior term, Kimble became the first Canisius player to win the prestigious Connolly Cup, which is awarded annually to the top football player in Western New York. He's a three-time finalist for the Connolly Cup.
Syracuse football's tandem at running back in its 2027 class is going to be special.
When Kimble announced his verbal commitment to the 'Cuse last Friday evening, he became the Orange's highest-ranked pledge in its top-35 national class in 2027. Multiple recruiting services place Kimble as a top-25 running back and the No. 1 player hailing from the Empire State in his cycle. He's also a top-350 national prospect, according to several recruiting websites.
Kimble, throughout his recruitment, obtained nearly 40 scholarship offers. He took official visits to the 'Cuse, North Carolina and Indiana. Kimble also unofficially visited the Hill last month.
In announcing his pledge to Syracuse football, Kimble cited his strong relationship with Brown and Orange running backs coach Dennis Thomas. Kimble has said he plans to officially sign with the 'Cuse during the early signing period this December.
Syracuse football's 2027 class also includes high-three-star running back Tylek Lewis out of Zachary High School in Zachary, La., who verbally committed to SU last week, too, after recently taking an official visit to the Orange. In 2025, the 6-foot, 210-pound Lewis rushed for 1,129 yards and 21 touchdowns.
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