Syracuse football is recruiting talent-rich Florida hard, heavily in mix for 4-stars

Without question, Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff will continue to put a heavy recruiting emphasis on the Northeast corridor, including the states of New York and New Jersey, the Philadelphia market and the Washington, D.C., to Baltimore corridor.

Yet at the same time, Orange coaches are recruiting various other states hard, and at the top of the list, from my perspective, is talent-rich Florida. The Sunshine State is filled with top-flight high school prospects, and the 'Cuse staff has its sights set on grabbing its share of Florida.

To that end, in the Orange's large 2025 class, numerous signees hail from this state. In the team's 2026 and 2027 cycles, Syracuse football has secured a handful of verbal pledges from Florida-based prospects.

Moreover, in 2025 and 2026, Orange coaches are in hot pursuit of various elite high school players from the Sunshine State, and I'm going to explore this a bit further in my column here.

Syracuse football is firmly in play for some stellar 4-star targets who suit up for Florida programs.

Calvin Russell
The 2026 four-star wide receiver and top-15 national prospect out of Miami Northwestern Senior High School has included Syracuse football in his top 12. Media reports indicate he's expected to officially visit the 'Cuse at some point.

J'Vari Flowers
The 2025 four-star defensive back and top-60 national prospect, also out of Miami Northwestern, has the Orange in his final six and is scheduled to officially visit Syracuse football during the weekend that begins March 21.

James Johnson
The 2026 four-star defensive lineman and top-15 national prospect, a standout at North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, Fla., recently dropped a top 10 that features the 'Cuse. He has both a spring visit and an official visit set to Syracuse football.

Tedarius Hughes
The 2026 four-star defensive back and top-200 national prospect, who will spend his senior year at Miami Northwestern, is verbally committed to Florida State, but he will take an official visit to the Hill during the weekend that begins on June 6.

Jaydin Broadnax
The 2026 four-star defensive back and top-200 national prospect, a star for West Boca Raton Community High School in Boca Raton, Fla., has Syracuse football in his top seven and will officially visit the Orange from June 6 to June 8.

CJ Hester
The 2026 four-star defensive back and top-110 national prospect, out of Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Fla., will go on an official visit to Central New York during the weekend that begins June 6.

Ayden Pouncey
The 2026 four-star defensive back and top-130 overall player will take an official visit to the 'Cuse from June 6 to June 8. He is a standout at Winter Park High School in Winter Park, Fla., and has Syracuse football in his top 10.

This isn't meant to be fully exhaustive, but some other Florida-based prospects to monitor include:

•Brogan McNab, a 2026 three-star quarterback/athlete out of Melbourne Central Catholic in Melbourne, Fla.

•Kamron Wilson, a 2026 three-star edge out of Miami Southridge Senior High School.

•EShawn Sutton, a 2026 three-star athlete also out of Winter Park.

•Decorie Johnson, a 2026 running back out of Winter Park.

•Duane Johnson Jr., a 2026 three-star edge out of the True North Classical Academy in Miami.