As Dino Babers seeks to build an athletic program at Syracuse, filled with speedy playmakers, he and his assistants have specifically targeted South Florida as a place where they have to succeed in recruiting.
That’s not exactly a new approach, of course, as most of the major schools in the country — including almost all of Syracuse’s ACC rivals — recruit prospects in and around the Miami area. But the way the Orange are going about it could be the difference between making a move in the ACC’s Atlantic Division in the coming years or staying down near the bottom.
The Orange aren’t necessarily going after all the 4- and 5-star standouts from Miami and surrounding communities who are going to Florida State, Miami, and SEC and Big Ten schools. But they are attempting to find diamonds in the rough — guys who are capable of playing at the ACC level, but maybe aren’t quite as well-known as some of the top talents.
Case in point, the program’s newest 2017 commitment, Sharod Johnson of Booker T. Washington High School in Miami. Get access to the rest of this article and unlimited access to the rest of ACCSports.com when you upgrade to Premium Access! Click on the button below to view all the benefits of becoming a Premium Access member.Get the rest of the story right now with Premium Access!
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