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Fran Brown and SU’s coaching staff didn’t take much time off in January.

In the month after winning the Holiday Bowl and signing the largest 2025 recruiting class in the nation, Syracuse offered over 140 recruits and landed five verbal commitments. It carved new paths on the recruiting trail, dishing out offers in 18 states, two countries and Washington, D.C.

The Orange searched for players close to home in New York and in Brown’s home state of New Jersey, and even as far as California. And the staff didn’t just focus on 2025 — they made key additions to the 2026 class as well.

Here’s a breakdown of the different areas and players Syracuse targeted and landed commitments from during January:

Staying close to home

It’s no surprise Syracuse continued its recruiting efforts in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In SU’s 2024 class, 16-of-26 recruits came from the three states, followed by 14-of-35 in its 2025 class.

Three of SU’s 2025 recruits came from Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse. On Jan. 8, the Orange were the first to extend an offer to 2027 running back Austin Ariola. That same day, SU offered Ariola’s teammate, Jhadon Gary, a two-way athlete who stands at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds as a sophomore. Both Ariola and Gary helped CBA defend the New York State Class AA State title this season.

On Jan. 13, Pittsburgh native Gabriel Jenkins announced Syracuse made his top eight schools. Jenkins is a four-star prospect, per Rivals, and ranks 133rd in the class of 2027. He’s also listed as the third best prospect in Pennsylvania.

Later in January, Syracuse was among the earliest schools to reach out to recruits Josiah Jones and Anthony Lopez Jr. On Jan. 22, the Orange offered twins Adrian and Amiir Woodward. The pair of cornerbacks have each received seven offers, including Rutgers and Boston College, per Rivals.

Prioritizing Florida

In 2024, Syracuse landed just one commit from the Sunshine State. In December, Syracuse signed six prospects from Florida. SU’s coaching staff, led by quality control coach Thomas Caporale’s high school coaching background in Miami, has made Florida a priority.

In the middle of the month, Syracuse dished out a number of offers in Florida. Among them was four-star defensive back Ayden Pouncey. Hailing from Winter Park, Florida, Pouncey is ranked 142nd on the 2026 ESPN Junior 300 list. He announced on Jan. 23 that Syracuse was among his top-10 schools.

Syracuse was also among the first Power Four schools to offer 2027 edge rusher and Miami native Duane Johnson. Rivals ranks Johnson as a three-star prospect with offers from Maryland and Pittsburgh, each competing with the Orange to draw East Coast talent.

SU stayed focused on adding defenders in Florida by offering Rivals four-star linebacker Karon Maycock in the class of 2026. On the other side of the ball, SU re-offered interior lineman Da’Ron Parks, a top-300 prospect, per 247Sports. The Orange are looking to stand out among Parks’ 24 offers.

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Uncharted territory

Later in the month, after covering its usual recruiting territories, Syracuse’s coaching staff expanded its reach even further. The Orange made offers to players in Tennessee and North Carolina and as far as California.

One of Syracuse’s top freshmen in 2024, Marcellus Barnes Jr., was its only commit from Tennessee in the last two years. On Jan. 16, SU quarterbacks coach Nunzio Campanile offered 2028 recruit Antonio Dion Edwards, who, like Barnes, is also from Chattanooga.

SU didn’t receive a single recruit from North Carolina in 2025. The Orange pushed to change that by extending offers to many recruits from the Tar Heel State. On Jan. 30, SU defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson offered 2026 four-star edge rusher Keysaun Eleazer.

On the West Coast, Syracuse dished out a plethora of offers, too. On Jan. 15, Brown offered 2026 quarterback Santino Garcia. On Jan. 27, SU was 2026 two-way athlete Terion Mathis’ initial offer.

SU’s 5 commits

Syracuse entered January with four 2026 recruits. By the end of the month, it more than doubled its class with nine verbal recruits. First, SU landed its first of five January verbal commitments on Jan. 10 with an announcement by BJ Garrett.

Two days later, 2026 offensive lineman Jojo White, a Camden, New Jersey, native, chose the Orange. On Jan. 15, Brown’s staff reeled in their third recruit of the month and seventh in the class with wide receiver Phoenix Henriquez.

Later in January, Syracuse made another splash, receiving commitments from two more recruits, 2026ers Steven Pickard Jr. and Jarius Rodgers. Pickard Jr., an offensive lineman from IMG Academy (Fla.) committed to SU on Jan. 25 during one of Syracuse’s biggest recruiting weekends. Syracuse men’s basketball hosted Pitt, and Brown invited many recruits. Pickard joined Javeion Cooper and White as offensive-line commits.

Syracuse’s highest-rated recruit of the month, Rodgers, announced on Jan. 27. The four-star from Florida became SU’s ninth recruit in the 2026 class and joined Maurice Medley as its highest-rated defensive commits. After its efforts in January, SU’s 2026 recruiting class is ranked 13th nationally, per 247Sports.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that Syracuse offered recruits from 17 different states, two countries and Washington, D.C. This version withheld including Connecticut. The Daily Orange regrets this error.

Published on February 5, 2025 at 10:28 pm

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32