Syracuse, N.Y. — Three players who had verbally committed to join the Syracuse football team next year rescinded their pledges on Sunday, one day after the Orange suffered one of the worst losses in program history against Notre Dame.
D’Antae Sheffey, E’Shawn Sutton and Zikhere Leaks all announced on social media on Sunday that they have decommitted from the Orange.
All three players were three-star recruits who were ranked outside the top 1,000 recruits nationally in the 247 Sports composite rankings, putting them toward the lower end of SU’s expected Class of 2026.
Sheffey, a running back from State College, Pennsylvania, was ranked the No. 1,211 recruit in the country by 247 Sports.
Sheffey posted his decommitment on Instagram with a graphic that indicated he is now considering Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, UConn, Wisconsin and Rutgers.
Leaks posted on social media that his decision to decommit followed a conversation with Fran Brown.
A wide receiver from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Leaks was ranked No. 1,255 by 247. He is listed as receiving offers from Indiana, North Carolina, Purdue, Minnesota and Boston College during his recruitment.
Sutton, listed as an athlete from Winter Park, Forida, is the No. 1,428 recruit in the country. He was listed as bring offered by Wake Forest, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech during his recruitment.
The loss of their verbal commitments dropped Syracuse only slightly in 247 Sports’ team rankings down to No. 26 nationally for the Class of 2026.
There are still only seven schools projected to bring in more high school players than the 27 verbal commitments that the Orange currently has for next year.
Syracuse also brought in the largest freshman class in the country last season according to 247 Sports, with 33 true freshmen.
The roster is so flush with young players that the Orange appeared as if it would have to shed some scholarship players just to get under the 105-player maximum permitted by NCAA rules.
Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack said previously that the school had 85 scholarships to use in its football program this season.
The decommitments follow Syracuse’s 70-7 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday, which was the fourth-worst in program history and the most lopsided defeat for the Orange since 1893.
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