Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer discussed his 2015 recruiting class Wednesday afternoon with the media for the first time. Among the most talked-about topics were SU’s incoming defensive linemen, the effect George McDonald’s departure had and will have on recruiting, and the Orange’s return to attracting prospects from New Jersey.

1. Up in front

Syracuse hauled in seven defensive linemen in its Class of 2015, the most of any position group. Most notable from the crop, though, were Millburn (New Jersey) defensive end Jake Pickard and Brindlee Mountain (Alabama) defensive tackle Steven Clark.

Both are rated three stars by Scout.com, and Shafer name-dropped them first when listing off the handful of recruits he brought in on the defensive line, the position he called the hardest to recruit.

Shafer said the late interest in Clark proved a challenge for SU, as Ole Miss and Florida emerged as contenders, but defensive line coach Tim Daoust said Clark’s true character showed when affirming his pledge to the Orange.

“Elated to get Steven Clark,” Daoust said in a Cuse.com video released Wednesday. “I think he’s going to come in here and be a leader on and off the field, could be a cornerstone of our defensive line for a long, long time inside there.”

With Pickard, Syracuse had to fight off Wisconsin and Michigan, but was able to do so to snag the 6-foot-6, 231-pound lineman.

Shafer noted how he sent a message to Pickard when he committed to the Badgers and that if anything happened down the road, the high school senior could give Shafer a call.

So when Gary Andersen bolted from Wisconsin for the head coach job at Oregon State, Pickard called Shafer to resume talks. And even when former San Francisco 49ers coach and current UM head coach Jim Harbaugh went after Pickard, the prospect stayed with SU.

“I think it’s a huge pickup,” wide receivers coach Bobby Acosta said in a Cuse.com video released Wednesday. “… especially (since) he’s one of the top defensive ends in New Jersey.”

2. Jersey boys

Shafer said that in the last couple years, he and his fellow coaches have asked themselves, “Why can’t we get New Jersey guys?”

That wasn’t the case this year, as the Garden State gave the Orange its most commits from any state. Pickard, running back Dontae Strickland, cornerback Daivon Ellison, defensive end Kenny Carter and defensive tackle Anthony Giudice Jr. all pledged to SU from the state.

Acosta gets the most credit for capturing recruits in the state of New Jersey, as his former coaching position at The College of New Jersey has helped him develop relationships in the area.

“Bobby Acosta’s been a big asset. He’s from there, he understands it,” Shafer said. “The respect factor for Bobby Acosta in that state was huge.”

Daoust mentioned how in the “hay day” of Syracuse football, the core recruits came from New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Shafer noted that SU made it a priority to return to prominence in New Jersey, and that it did.

Said Daoust: “To get a core group of New Jersey kids, I think it just opens that pipeline for the future.”

3. McDonald’s farm

When former offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach George McDonald left for North Carolina State, Syracuse lost its primary recruiter in the south Florida area.

Keivonnis Davis and Gerald Robinson, two prospects from the region, both decommitted from SU. Still, Shafer says his recruiting strategy won’t change in an area McDonald owned.

“It’s just a matter of us picking up the pieces, getting the next guy down there and going with it,” Shafer said.

The head coach said that McDonald’s position switch and following departure didn’t have a huge effect on how SU recruited for its offense, and that the Orange was able to get its primary need on that side of the ball.

“We did want to find a mid-year tight end if we could find one out there,” Shafer said. “That was probably the biggest thing we did with getting Trey Dunkelberger to come in here.”

Published on February 4, 2015 at 11:49 pm

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman