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2016 Syracuse Football Recruiting Class Breakdown
2016 Syracuse Recruiting Class: New head coach Dino Babers might have been scrambling over the last month, but he was able to do a decent job of putting together a big class. Most of the prospects had MAC or American Athletic options, but that’s changing under the new regime.
February 1, 2016
2016 Syracuse Recruiting Class: New head coach Dino Babers might have been scrambling over the last month, but he was able to do a decent job of putting together a big class. Most of the prospects had MAC or American Athletic options, but that’s changing under the new regime.
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Syracuse Football Recruiting Class Overview
The Class Is Heavy On …
Linebackers. The former coaching staff went hard after the defensive front, and the new group did a decent job of keeping most of them interested. Andrew Armstrong and Tim Walton were two good pickups for the outside, while Kenneth Ruff out of Fort Lauderdale has a ready-made 236-pound body for the interior. Getting another Floridian – Jaquwan Nelson, also from Fort Lauderdale – was the big prize. He’s a potentially dangerous outside pass rusher if he bulks up a little more. Throw in the six defensive backs who signed on, and the Orange are looking to go defense soon, so the offensive-minded head coach can crank up his attack.
The Star of the Class Is …
QB Rex Culpepper, 6-3, 216 – After what Matt Johnson did for Bowling Green, wouldn’t you want to be Dino Babers’ quarterback? Culpepper is a good-sized baller out of Tampa who had offers from Clemson, Ohio State, Florida, Miami and Ole Miss. Even so, he’s still considered a bit of a project. Give him a few years, and he’ll be expected to challenge to run the show.
The Team’s Biggest 2016 Depth Chart Hole Is …
Offensive line. Just about everywhere else is loaded with experience and depth. The D gets ten starters back, and the offense returns almost all the key young skill players who took their lumps last year, but the O line needs some reworking with three starters gone including Ivan Foy and Nick Robinson from the left side.
2016 Syracuse Football Recruiting Class
Andrew Armstrong LB Fr. 6-2 215 Canfield, Ohio (Cardinal Mooney)
Josh Black DE Fr. 6-2 237 Loves Park, Ill. (Harlem)
Scoop Bradshaw DB Fr. 6-0 175 Tampa, Fla. (Plant)
Devin Butler WR Fr. 6-0 185 District Heights, Md. (Frederick Douglass)
Michael Clark OL Fr. 6-7 277 Exton, Pa. (Downingtown East)
Devon Clarke DB Fr. 6-3 190 Kissimmee, Fla. (Osceola)
Kendall Coleman DE Fr. 6-3 235 Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral)
Rex Culpepper – QB Fr. 6-1 216 Tampa, Fla. (Plant)
Evan Foster DB Fr. 6-2 197 West Bloomfield, Mich. (West Bloomfield)
Sam Heckel OL Fr. 6-5 265 Waukesha, Wis. (Waukesha West)
Carl Jones DB Fr. 6-2 175 Twinsburg, Ohio (St. Edward)
Moe Neal – ATH Fr. 5-10 165 Gastonia, N.C. (Forestview)
Jaquwan Nelson DE Fr. 6-4 230 Lauderhill, Fla. (Ft. Lauderdale)
Liam O’Sullivan OL Fr. 6-7 240 Chicago, Ill. (Maine South)
Sean Riley ATH Fr. 5-9 165 Playa del Rey, Calif. (Narbonne)
Kenneth Ruff – LB Fr. 6-1 250 Lauderhill, Fla. (Dillard)
Airon Servais OL Fr. 6-6 260 Green Bay, Wis. (Ashwaubenon)
Jo-El Shaw RB Fr. 6-1 215 Pittsburgh, Pa. (Woodland Hills)
Tim Walton LB Fr. 6-2 225 Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical)
McKinley Williams DT Fr. 6-5 255 Miramar, Fla. (Dillard)
