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After a busy January, in which Fran Brown’s staff offered over 140 recruits, Syracuse football made the most of February. During a dead period where coaches were barred from in-person contact with high school prospects, SU appeared in several recruits’ lists, including ESPN top-300 recruits Khary Adams and Damari Simeon.

SU officially signed running back Tylik Hill on Feb. 5, cementing its 35-man 2025 class, the largest in the nation. Syracuse currently has a nine-man 2026 class, highlighted by four-star edge rusher Jarius Rodgers. Now, SU looks to add to its next class, which ranks 16th in the nation, per 247Sports.

Here’s where four 2026 prospects stand during their recruitment process:

Davion Brown, wide receiver, Virginia

Four-star wide receiver Davion Brown was among the first recruits to announce his top schools in February. On Feb. 4, the No. 44 player in ESPN’s top-300 listed Syracuse in his top-five schools along with Penn State, Michigan, Duke and Georgia.

Davion, who stands at 6-foot-3, said SU offensive analyst Devin Redd visited him on Jan. 31 to see him play basketball for Trinity Episcopal High School. The visit, which came right before the start of the dead period, was something that set SU apart from other schools, Davion said.

Davion said he’s attracted to Syracuse due to the success of its passing attack last season. Redd and now-former SU wide receivers coach, Ross Douglas, break down their development plan for wide receivers through conversations with Davion at least two times a week.

“I love the way their pass game was this year, leading the nation in passing offense,” Davion said. “The way they get the ball to their receivers, they let their receivers do their thing.”

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Defensive coaches have prioritized contact with Davion, too. In the coming months, Davion said he expects to visit Syracuse. The wide receiver hopes to bring his explosiveness and ability to play multiple positions such as lining up in the backfield, in the slot or outside.

“Syracuse is on the rise, and I think they’re building something over here,” he said. “I just want to see how they keep building the future.”

Gavin Sidwar, quarterback, Pennsylvania

Brown and other SU coaches have forged a relationship with Gavin Sidwar since he was 14 years old, Sidwar said. The 23rd-ranked quarterback in the 2026 class, per 247Sports, didn’t release a list of top schools, but Syracuse is on his shortlist of choices, he said.

Sidwar was introduced to Brown at a seven-on-seven tournament in New Jersey when he played for Next Level Greats — a program numerous current and former SU players, including LeQuint Allen Jr., played for. After switching to seven-on-seven team Level 82, Sidwar said SU’s coaching staff still keeps in close contact and he’s since made multiple campus visits.

“Every time I go up there, it feels like home,” Sidwar said.

Sidwar said he first felt the program’s family atmosphere when Brown had his wife and daughter meet with his family in one of SU’s football offices. Also, right before the dead period, SU offensive associate head coach Nunzio Campanile paid a home visit to Sidwar on Jan. 27.

Sidwar and SU offensive graduate assistant coach Manny Harris speak at least once a week, the quarterback said, about life and how Syracuse can help in his recruitment process. In 2024, Sidwar visited when the Orange defeated Virginia Tech after falling behind 21-3.

“I play a lot like Kyle McCord,” Sidwar said. “So just seeing him, how he operated, is something I can relate to. And obviously he had a great year.”

Sidwar is set to make numerous visits this spring, including a trip to Syracuse, he said. He is also highly interested in Iowa, Missouri, Ole Miss and UCLA, per On3.

Marlen Bright, offensive tackle, New Jersey

Marlen Bright, a three-star from DePaul Catholic High School, named Syracuse in his top-seven schools on Feb. 17, which also included North Carolina and Stanford.

Bright said his relationship started with Brown while he was coaching at Georgia. Brown was visiting DePaul Catholic to speak to some of Bright’s teammates in the school gym. At first, Bright didn’t know of Brown, but then saw the “G” logo on his chest.

“From that moment on, once he actually saw me, we built up a connection and we’re here now,” Bright said.

Syracuse hired Brown as its head coach on Nov. 28, 2023, and offered Bright on Dec. 14, 2023, becoming one of the offensive lineman’s first offers.

Aside from an early connection with Brown, Bright’s high school coach is the brother of Campanile, Nick Campanile.

“It’s relationships galore there,” Bright said of SU.

Bright has visited Syracuse multiple times over the last few years, including a visit to its win over then-No. 23 Georgia Tech on Sep. 7, 2024. Through conversations with SU offensive line coach Dale Williams, Bright has noticed he could make a strong fit with the Orange.

“Their play scheme is actually very similar to what my high school runs,” Bright said. “You kind of want (that) because now you know how it already works.”

Nick Abrams II, linebacker, Maryland

Like Sidwar and Bright, Nick Abrams II has close ties to Syracuse. Abrams got on the Orange’s radar in January through his teammate at the McDonogh School and SU football 2025 commit Elijah Crawford.

About two months after Crawford signed, Abrams announced that Syracuse made his top-15 schools on Feb. 8. Abrams, ranked 18th among linebackers in the 2026 class, per 247Sports, said Syracuse’s academics and networking stood out.

“The atmosphere, the culture that they’re starting to build and the success they had on the field this season, it’s really showing why it’s a place to be,” Abrams said.

SU defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson offered Abrams during a visit to McDonogh School on Jan. 24, one of over a dozen offers Abrams received that month.

Abrams competes in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and said Syracuse defense graduate assistant Tyshon Fogg relates to him from having played at McDonogh competitor Calvert Hall — which is where former SU running back Sean Tucker played. Facetimes with Fogg have helped Arbams narrow his decision, he said.

Though SU didn’t make Abrams’ top-10 on Feb. 27, the Orange have shown a strong interest in the four-star. He is set to commit on July 16.

“They’ve shown me why I’m a priority to them, and it’s been really cool to see that and really experience that,” Abrams said.

Published on March 4, 2025 at 7:50 pm

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