Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse head football coach Fran Brown is already looking to the future, making his first verbal commitment to the Class of 2026.
Demetre Samuel Jr. (6'1, 190), an ATH from American Heritage in Palm Bay, Fla., verbally committed to Syracuse on Saturday night.
He also had offers from Florida, Illinois, Iowa State, Minnesota, Marshall and Nebraska. He is not rated in his 247 composite. On3 rates Samuel his junior his four-star prospect, while Rivals currently rates him his three-star.
Samuel Jr. took an unofficial visit to Syracuse earlier this week and attended the Orange's spring practice on Thursday.
“Coach Fran is building an SEC-type program at Syracuse,” Samuel Jr. told On3. “I watched practice on Thursday and I love this environment and what the coaches and players are doing. Coach Fran is changing the program. Everything is evolving at Syracuse and that's what I love about Syracuse. That’s why I committed.”
Syracuse's 2025 class currently includes one four-star prospect and is currently ranked No. 15 in the country and No. 2 in the ACC by 247Sports. The Orange is currently one of his 10 ACC schools that have committed to at least one of his four-star recruits.
Verbal commitments are not binding until the player signs a National Letter of Intent.
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