Syracuse football 'pushing hard' for FSU 4-star DB commit, who has SU official visit

Per On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons, Syracuse football and fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Miami are "pushing hard" for 2026 four-star defensive back Tedarius Hughes, who is verbally pledged to another ACC member, Florida State.

Per national analysts, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Hughes, who hails from the Sunshine State, has upcoming official visits to all three programs. He will take an official visit to the 'Cuse during the weekend that begins on June 6.

As I've noted on many occasions in recent months, head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff are recruiting Florida hard at the prep level. The Orange has numerous Florida-based prospects in its large 2025 class, while Syracuse football also has a handful of verbal pledges from high school players in the Sunshine State within its 2026 and 2027 cycles.

Hughes, who will spend his senior year at a powerhouse program in Miami, has unofficially visited the Hill in the past. He picked up a scholarship offer from the Orange on January 24, 2024, according to his X page.

In early July of last year, he verbally committed to the Seminoles after reportedly having the 'Cuse in his top three. Per some recent media reports, Hughes remains locked in to FSU, but he did say in part to Simmons, "I still want to weigh options."

Syracuse football is in hot pursuit of 2026 4-star DB Tedarius Hughes, a Florida State verbal pledge.

Hughes spent the 2024 stanza at South Dade Senior High School in Homestead, Fla. However, not too long ago, he announced via his X account that he would transfer for his senior season to Miami Northwestern Senior High School, which this past term won the Florida High School Athletic Association ("FHSAA") 3A state championship.

The Orange staff knows Miami Northwestern extremely well. Several 'Cuse 2025 signees hail from this high school program. Additionally, Syracuse football coaches are recruiting several other Miami Northwestern players hard, including 2025 four-star defensive back J'Vari Flowers, who has the Orange in his final six, and 2026 four-star wide receiver Calvin Russell, who has the 'Cuse in his top top 12.

At the time of this writing, Hughes' highest 2026 rankings came courtesy of recruiting service On3, which has him at No. 196 overall, No. 15 at safety and No. 29 in Florida. Both the industry-generated 247Sports Composite and the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking have Hughes inside the top 365 around the country in the high school junior class.