Syracuse ‘definitely has my attention’ says elite ’24 OL Fletcher Westphal

Fletcher Westphal
Courtesy: Fletcher Westphal

One of the most coveted offensive linemen in the 2024 class is Tuscarora (VA) High’s Fletcher Westphal. The four-star prospect is ranked 201st in his class and the 18th overall OT by 247 Sports, and holds over 30 offers, including from Syracuse.

Westphal visited Syracuse for the Orange’s matchup against Notre Dame this past weekend, and he came away with a positive impression of SU.

“My first time in an indoor stadium was memorable for sure,” Westphal said in an interview with The Juice Online. “50,000 sounded like 100,000 and left this ringing in your ears since the noise could not escape. The fans were all in supporting Orange.”

Though Syracuse ultimately lost 41-24, there were still plenty of positives to take away from the game, Westphal said.

“They were competitive,” he said. “Some things didn’t align and they lost, but they fought til the end. They were committed no matter the score. Some starters were injured and I’m sure that affected the outcome of the game.”

Westphal had an opportunity to tour the facilities and meet with the coaching staff, including offensive line coach Mike Schmidt and head coach Dino Babers. Both pitched Westphal on his ability to contribute early should he play at Syracuse.

“They brought up my size and liking what they were seeing on film,” Westphal said. “They are looking to build quality depth on their roster. If the starter gets injured the transition on the field would be seamless. I’ve heard the same from other programs about the lack of depth. They were definitely super excited I made the trip up to check them out.”

Westphal, who holds a 3.7 GPA, will be releasing a list of top schools on Nov. 30. He will comb through a list that includes a wide variety of blue bloods like Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State and Tennessee.

» Related: Quick thoughts and reaction to Syracuse’s loss to Notre Dame

While it’s not clear whether Syracuse will make the cut, his visit to Central New York will play a role in whether the Orange stays on his list.

“Syracuse definitely has my attention,” Westphal said. “It is hard to really feel what a program is about without seeing things in person. You know seeing the current roster in person, in action, seeing the interactions between them and the coaches, how they interact with each other, seeing the campus, the facilities, the housing it all matters to me. Can’t get that online or on a phone call.”

Until then, Westphal has his focus on his current football season. Tuscarora is currently on a four-game winning streak, and is 8-1 overall with playoffs just around the corner. While Westphal is known as an offensive lineman, he’s been playing both sides of the ball.

“My season has been going well,” Westphal said. “I’m learning a lot. My endurance is better and the biggest players on the high school field are the OL players so now I’m coming up against them on defense. I’m happy with how my team has been performing this season and looking forward to playoffs. We are lucky to have great coaches to lead the way.”

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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.