Three recruits to watch out for

1. Ron Thompson, TE, 6-4/215

Thompson is arguably one of Syracuse’s top recruits. The 6-foot-4-inch tight end from Southfield High School in Michigan is the one the Orange’s three 4-star recruits, and he is a matchup nightmare waiting to happen. Thompson is a massive receiving tight end with tremendous hands and ball skills. However, Thompson needs to improve his blocking and strength if he wants to become a true tight end. This should be no problem for Thompson, who weighs a good 215 pounds. Since Thompson has only been playing football for a little over a year, it will be interesting to see how he learns and develops his raw skills.

2. Wayne Morgan, DB, 5-11/190

Hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., Morgan will bring some physicality to the Orange secondary that has been lacking in recent years. While the hard-hitting safety from Erasmus Hall High School is smaller for his position at 5-foot-11-inches, his nose for the ball and strength makes Morgan Syracuse’s most dynamic and impactful recruit. Morgan was split 50/50 between SU and UConn, but eventually chose Syracuse.

3. Markus Pierce-Brewster, DE, 6-4, 235

With the departure of Chandler Jones to the NFL Draft, Syracuse was left with a void to fill at defensive end. Enter Pierce-Brewster, the 6-foot-4-inch lineman from National City, CA, who is a junior college transfer from The City College of San Francisco. While Pierce-Brewster also played wide receiver and returned kicks while at junor college, he also earned the California Defensive Player of the Year award. According to Scout.com's John Garcia Jr. Pierce-Brewster is "a versatile speed rusher with the ability to play linebacker as well…”

*Student is currently enrolled at SU and spent the past semester at the Milford Academy

** Junior college transfer