Recruiting Roundup: Sam Heckel wavers ‘a bit’ on Syracuse commitment after Scott Shafer firing

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If SU football can get back to a bowl game this upcoming season, there are plenty of ACC tie-in destinations to choose from

As we start today’s links, we’d like to wish former Syracuse center Rakeem Christmas a very happy birthday! On to the recruiting world…

Three-star offensive lineman Sam Heckel is still committed to Syracuse, writes Today’s U Sports’ Eric Rutter. Heckel committed to Syracuse earlier in the year, but the firing of Scott Shafer did make him waiver in his commitment “a little bit.” “I didn’t really agree with that,” Heckel said about the decision to dismiss Shafer. “I thought he was doing alright, but he just didn’t have the luck of the draw when it came to injury. He had to play like 18 underclassmen.”

North Stafford (Va.) 2019 running back Devyn Ford received an offer from Kentucky earlier this week, writes 247 Sports’ Josh Edwards. Despite being early in his recruiting process, Ford already holds offers from NC State, North Carolina, Syracuse, Wake Forest and Virginia.

» Related: Thompson visits Seton Hall, Georgetown

2017 elite guard Trevon Duval described his experience watching the Kentucky-Duke game earlier in the season in his latest blog post in USA Today High School Sports. “I will say that I was really impressed with Kentucky in that game against Duke,” Duval writes. “They looked really good, just playing hard defense and playing together.” Kentucky, Kansas, Syracuse and Arizona are among the schools recruiting Duval.

Aapri Washington from Southlake Christian (N.C.) is featured in the Scout.com Spotlight. Washington describes himself as hardworking, and also says he has stepped into a leadership role on his team. He holds an offer from Syracuse.

2016 big man Taurean Thompson has high interest in Syracuse, and will make his college decision in the spring, writes Syracuse.com’s Donna Ditota. “Syracuse was recruiting him before this decision came about,” Sherese Piper, Thompson’s mother, wrote in an email. “As of now he’s focusing on his new school and season. He will be a late signee. Our interest in Syracuse remains strong.” Thompson is also considering Seton Hall and Georgetown, among others.

In closing, congratulations to men’s soccer player Julian Buescher, who is one of 15 semifinalists for the 2015 Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy, the highest individual award in collegiate soccer. Have a great day, everyone!

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About Wes Cheng 2907 Articles
Wes has worked for Rivals.com covering the New York Knicks, as well as for Scout.com covering Syracuse athletics. Wes has also been a contributing writer for the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), for SportsNet New York (SNY) as a news desk writer covering all of New York professional sports, and reported on the NBA and MLB for the New York Sportscene. A native of Long Island, New York, Wes graduated from Syracuse University in 2005 with a degree in journalism. Contact him at wes[at]sujuiceonline.com.