Syracuse football's biggest question in 2026 class is holding off poachers in Florida

The biggest recruiting question for Syracuse football's splendid 2026 class, according to Rivals national analyst John Garcia Jr., brings us to the Sunshine State, where the Orange has absolutely crushed things in this cycle but may have to fend off other programs to keep some of its prized verbal commits in the fold.

As Garcia notes in a piece this week, while the early signing day for rising high school seniors won't arrive for several months, many college squads are putting the finishing touches on their 2026 classes, including the 'Cuse.

Garcia, given this context, examines the biggest question facing Syracuse football and other Atlantic Coast Conference schools as the 2025 season (and the fall) inch closer.

So what is the biggest recruiting question for Syracuse football's 2026 class?

When I wrote this article on Wednesday, the Orange had 28 verbal pledges in its 2026 cycle. This 'Cuse class is hovering between the top 25 and the top 30 nationally, according to industry-generated 247Sports Composite, the industry-generated Rivals Industry Ranking and ESPN.

In 2026, Syracuse football has one five-star commit, wide receiver Calvin Russell lll, along with several four-star pledges. A couple of these four-star commits, like Russell, hail from Florida: edge Jarius Rodgers, offensive tackle Javeion Cooper and edge Kamron Wilson.

The Orange, so far, also has a trio of three-star pledges in its 2026 class, and they are athlete E'Shawn Sutton, offensive tackle Brayden Charney and offensive lineman Steven Pickard.

If my math is correct, the 'Cuse has seven 2026 commits from Florida, or one-fourth of its total pledges in this cycle to date. That's tremendous, given how competitive the Sunshine State is, and how many talented players reside there.

This brings me back to Garcia. He writes of Syracuse football, "Can the Orange hold on in Florida? One of the surprises of the recruiting offseason was Rivals Industry five-star Calvin Russell picking Syracuse over Michigan and scores of other programs. It was far from the only major win in the Sunshine State for Fran Brown and company, with recruits like pass rushers Kamron Wilson and Jarius Rodgers as well as key offensive line pledge Javeion Cooper also on board. Even Central New York native Steven Pickard, playing at IMG Academy in Florida, is being contested by NC State and others. Maintaining the bulk of these recruits through the season is critical for a class approaching the top 25 nationally at the moment."

Rivals analyst Marcus Benjamin noted in a post on X that two Florida-based schools remain in contact with Wilson. Several national analysts have said of late that Michigan, Miami and others will continue to make a push for Russell up until the early national signing day.

The next few months could prove anxious for the Orange staff and the 'Cuse fan base, although I'm confident that Syracuse football coaches, led by ace recruiter and head coach Fran Brown, can ward off poachers for these highly ranked Florida-based commits in 2026.