This is a massive weekend for Syracuse football on the field and on the recruiting trail.
A flood of verbal commits and recruiting targets is expected on campus as the Orange will host fellow Atlantic Coast Conference foe Pittsburgh at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday night. On the field, the 'Cuse is looking to snap a two-game losing streak, and beating a surging Panthers' squad would prove huge for Syracuse football's post-season bowl chances.
From a recruiting standpoint, numerous highly rated prospects will be in attendance for Saturday evening's game, and it's also Homecoming weekend! So fun. Hopefully, the 'Cuse can pull out a win against long-time opponent Pitt.
Among those visiting are 2027 five-star offensive tackle Oluwasemilore Olubobola from New Jersey and 2027 four-star cornerback Kei'Shjuan Telfai from Ohio, a source confirmed to me on Thursday. Allen Trieu of 247Sports first reported on Telfai's visit to the 'Cuse.
The Orange staff offered a scholarship to the 6-foot-6, 275-pound Olubobola in June of last year. At this juncture, it doesn't appear that Telfai holds a 'Cuse offer, although that could change this weekend.
Syracuse football will have tons of high school prospects visiting on Saturday.
Others who are visiting for the Pittsburgh encounter include 2027 four-star wide receiver Jaden Upshaw of Lee County High School in Leesburg, Ga., and 2027 four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor of Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pa., who recently de-committed from Penn State amid head coach James Franklin being fired.
Within the 2027 class, Olubobola is rated No. 37 nationally, No. 6 at offensive tackle and No. 2 in New Jersey by the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. He attends the Saint Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, N.J.
Beyond Syracuse football, Olubobola's offer sheet includes teams such as Auburn, Boston College, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Rutgers, South Carolina, Texas and Texas A&M, among others.
The 6-foot, 160-pound Telfai, meanwhile, goes to Euclid High School in Euclid, Ohio, near Cleveland. His highest 2027 ranking comes via 247Sports, where Telfai checks in at No. 226 overall, No. 27 at cornerback and No. 4 in Ohio.
Telfai's full scholarship offer list totals nearly 30 schools and includes Arizona State, Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Miami, Nebraska, Penn State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Southern California, West Virginia and Wisconsin, among many others.
To date, Syracuse football has a half-dozen verbal pledges in its 2027 class, which is No. 3 nationwide, according to the 247Sports Composite.