Syracuse football's 2026 class, with a 5-star and 4-stars, is looking phenomenal

Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown and his top-flight staff are building some kind of 2026 class.

Is the Orange on par with heavyweights in the Big Ten Conference, the Southeastern Conference and Notre Dame? Not quite, but the 'Cuse will get there.

While I fully acknowledge that I use recruiting rankings when I write articles about the Orange, let's also provide context. In recent years, before Brown came on board to lead the program, we'd be lucky to secure a recruiting class in the top 50 or the top 60 nationally.

Those days are gone, my friends. The 'Cuse 2026 class is hovering near the top 20 to the top 25. Again, this isn't Georgia or Ohio State territory, for example. But where the Orange currently resides is light years ahead of where it was a few seasons ago.

Plus, the buzz around Syracuse football is palpable. Brown and his staff have the nation's attention. They're not backing down to anyone, and they're in pursuit of elite prospects across various cycles.

Syracuse football is super hot on the recruiting trail.

Case in point, on Friday, the Orange offered a scholarship to 2027 five-star defensive back/athlete Josh Dobson, a top-five national prospect out of Catawba Ridge High School in Fort Mill, S.C. Whether the 'Cuse can land him remains to be seen, but at least the Orange is making a run at this level of a player these days.

On Friday evening, the Orange received a verbal pledge from 2026 three-star athlete/DB Cameron Hairston-Taylor, who chose Syracuse football over other finalists such as fellow Atlantic Coast Conference schools Louisville and Virginia Tech, among others.

Earlier this week, 2026 three-star offensive tackle Roseby Lubintus flipped to the Orange from Big Ten Conference powerhouse Penn State, which made the most recent College Football Playoff.

Oh, and a week ago, you might have heard that Syracuse football stunned the college football world when it beat out Michigan, Oregon and Florida State for 2026 five-star wide receiver and top-25 national prospect Calvin Russell lll, who will also play for Syracuse basketball.

Russell has reportedly agreed to a sizable NIL deal with the 'Cuse, however, he has said that he picked the Orange due to his strong relationships with Brown, the rest of the Syracuse football staff and Syracuse basketball coaches, led by head coach Adrian Autry.

At this juncture, in its 2026 class, Syracuse football has 28 verbal pledges. This 'Cuse cycle is No. 21 via the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, No. 23 from ESPN and No. 33 from On3/Rivals.

Russell is obviously the crown jewel. The Orange's 2026 class also includes numerous nationally ranked, high-three-star prospects. Plus, here are some other highly rated 2026 commits:
•Four-star wide receiver Amare Gough, No. 214 nationally from 247Sports
•Four-star edge Jarius Rodgers, No. 225 nationally from 247Sports
•Four-star offensive tackle Javeion Cooper, No. 202 nationally from On3/Rivals
•Four-star edge Kamron Wilson, No. 285 nationally from ESPN

I don't know about you, but to me, that's some kind of awesome Syracuse football 2026 cycle.