The Syracuse football regular season officially kicks off on Sept. 5 when the Orange host New Hampshire at the JMA Wireless Dome. While head coach Fran Brown and his staff are preparing for the upcoming season, Brown is already working to build his future rosters with high school prospects committing to the program. While Brown has been able to land four and five-star prospects in the past, the Orange need to sign these three New York prospects for the program to be successful in the future.

The No. 2 New York State prospect in the Class of 2027 according to 247sports, Tookes recently took to social media and said that Syracuse is in his final five choices.

The list includes the Orange, along with Penn State, Nebraska, Tennessee and Florida.

Tookes signing with Syracuse would mark the second time in three classes a Rochester top-two prospect signed with the Orange. Quante Gillians, the No. 1 New York State prospect in the class of 2025 signed with Syracuse. Messiah Hampton, the top prospect in the class of 2026 signed with Oregon.

Hailing from the New York State's Capital Region, Toomey is regarded as a top prospect in the country. Former UAlbany head football coach, and former Penn State assistant head coach, Greg Gattuso, offered Toomey a scholarship from Penn State on June 25.

Syracuse offered Toomey less than two weeks later. 

The four-star prospect is a 6'3' defensive end who also has played tight end at Saratoga Springs High School. Toomey recently took to X to announce he has received his 21st offer, this time from the SEC's Tennessee Volunteers.

Jones's high school team (Christian Brothers Academy of Syracuse) defeated Toomey's Saratoga Springs team in the most recent Class AA New York state football championship last fall.

Jones has multiple ties to the Orange program. His late father, Arthur Jones III, played for Syracuse from 2005-09 before embarking on an NFL career. Arthur Jones III played seven seasons in the NFL, including winning a Super Bowl as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.

Jones' uncle, Chandler Jones, also played for Syracuse (2008-11). A first-round pick of the New England Patriots, Jones spent more than a decade in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots. He ranks 31st in league history in career sacks. 

The 6'3' Arthur Jones IV ranks as the second-highest prospect in New York in the Class of 2028 according to 247 sports.

Syracuse offered Jones a scholarship this past January.

Since being hired by Syracuse, Brown has been known nationally for his recruiting ability. In just two seasons, Brown has been able to land high-ranking prospects, including five-star receiver Calvin Russell, one of the highest ranked prospects in program history. 

In the early 2000s, then-athletic director Dr. Daryl Gross marketed Syracuse as "New York's College Team". Although the University no longer uses that advertising slogan, the message should remain the same.

A New York high school football recruit should have Syracuse in consideration when selecting their future destination. Located in Central New York, prospects from Albany to Rochester to Watertown to Brooklyn should view Syracuse as the top destination of any football school in the Empire State. Syracuse, along with Buffalo and Army, are the only three schools that compete at the FBS level. Other schools like Albany, Colgate, Cornell, Wagner, Marist and Fordham compete at the FCS level.

If Brown is able to continue to lock in these prospects for the future and solidify Syracuse football as the place for New York state prospects to flourish, the ramifications could be beneficial for the program for years to come. 

Remember to join our SYRACUSE on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Orange fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!