Syracuse Recruiting Roundup: CJ Hayes, Alijah Clark, Saboor Karriem

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Oct 9, 2021; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange head coach Dino Babers arrives at the Carrier Dome prior to the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Things continue to be hectic in the world of Syracuse football recruiting as we finish out the first month of 2022. Here’s what’s happened in the last week…

Syracuse continues to thrive in the transfer portal, this time picking up a commitment from Michigan State wide receiver CJ Hayes. Hayes was a class of 2017 recruit and spent the last four years with the Spartans. He has one year of eligibility remaining as a graduate student transfer. He finished with 13 receptions for 141 yards in his MSU career, and played as a defensive back in the 2021 season. He will play at wide receiver for the Orange.

Another name in the portal to pay attention to is Rutgers defensive back transfer Alijah Clark. Clark appeared in seven games as a true freshman for Rutgers, and recorded six tackles and an interception. It was a busy week for Clark after entering the portal, as he picked up offers from West Virginia and Louisville, and took an official visit to Temple. He tweeted that he will be announcing his top two schools “soon,” and 247 Sports’ Shawn Pastor says that Syracuse could be one of those schools. The Orange had originally recruited Clark, a high school teammate of Duce Chestnut, as a high school star, and tried to flip Clark before he ultimately stayed with the Scarlet Knights.

Still, the transfer portal giveth, and the transfer portal taketh away. One of SU’s biggest needs is on the defensive line, and Syracuse had been pursuing Monmouth grad transfer Lorenzo Hernandez. SU offered on Monday, but Hernandez announced last week that he will be attending Western Kentucky. Hernandez was named to the All Big South Second Team after he recorded five sacks last year.

Moving on to the high school world, the Orange is still looking to add to its 2022 class, and is showing interest in a late blooming defensive lineman, according to Sports Illustrated’s Mike McAllister. Syracuse defensive line coach Chris Achuff reached out to Cheektowaga (NY) Maryvale’s Kevin Jobity last week and there appears to be mutual interest. Though Jobity has only played football for a year, he collected a slew of FCS offers, and has drawn interest from other FBS teams. Syracuse, if they were to offer, would be his first Power 5 offer.

Syracuse may be the new favorite for 2023 quarterback LaNorris Sellers. A few weeks ago, the Orange offered 2023 quarterback when he was still a Virginia commit. Last week, Norris opened his recruitment back up, which is a great sign Syracuse. Keep in mind current SU offensive coordinator Robert Anae and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck were the main recruiters with Sellers with the Cavaliers.

Staying in the class of 2023, Syracuse is pursuing one of the top defensive backs in the class in West Orange (NJ) High’s Saboor Karriem. Defensive passing game coordinator Nick Monroe is his lead recruiter, and will be competing with Karriem’s other offers, which include, among others, Maryland, Duke, Georgia Tech and Boston College. Karriem took an unofficial visit to Syracuse over the weekend.

» Related: Checking in on the latest with Orange recruits Tapuvae Amaama, Francois Nolton, LaNorris Sellers

The Syracuse coaching staff was recruiting in the midwest and mid-Atlantic last week, and doled out several offers from the classes of 2023-25, including:

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About Steve Auger 165 Articles
Steve Auger is a freelance writer whose work has covered a variety of topics including sports, pets, parenting, healthy living, local government and human interest stories. Steve’s been a diehard Syracuse sports fan for over 25 years. To this day, the words “Smart takes the shot” still make him cringe. And according to Rutgers' fans, he's "not a take."