With Syracuse OV season over, here's what 4 committed prospects said
With Syracuse OV season over, here's what 4 committed prospects said
Syracuse received a flurry of commitments during official visit season, and we caught up with four of them for their thoughts on the Orange.Charles Kang|
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Syracuse OrangeIt was a busy four weeks in the Syracuse recruiting world, with the Orange picking up a large group of commitments for their 2027 class.
What did some of Syracuse's newest commitments think of their new school? We caught up with four of them to see what was on their minds about SU.
Jalen Welch - DB
Welch was one of the top prospects on Syracuse's board, and he pulled the trigger on June 16.
It was a huge recruiting win for the Orange, as Welch held more than 20 offers, including Iowa State, North Carolina, Boston College and West Virginia.
Credit Welch's lead recruiter at Syracuse, Dre Kates, for landing the three-star prospect.
"What ultimately made me choose SU was the environment that I was in," Welch said toThe Juice Online. "The coaching and the hospitality."
Michael McQueen - ATH
McQueen, had scheduled two official visits during his recruitment, one to Syracuse, and the other to Temple.
McQueen was on the Temple campus first, and committed on June 7. But he kept his official visit to Central New York on the weekend of June 12, and the Orange rewarded him with an offer while on the trip.
He flipped his commitment on June 19, citing the OV as the turning point in his SU recruitment.
"As soon as I stepped on the campus and also watching them work,” McQueen said, "I immediately knew that was something I needed to be a part of.”
Ben Sakyiama - OL
Sakyiama was a late addition to the Syracuse OV list on the weekend of June 19, and wasted no time, committing during the middle of his official visit.
The Warminster (PA) Archbishop Wood star's offer sheet included Sacramento State, Merrimack and New Haven, among others.
"Felt like they would know how to get me right and take me all the way to a whole new level,” Sakyiama said. "Cannot wait to get started. Going to be an amazing four years.”
Nico Ramos - OL
Ramos was one of the top offensive linemen on Syracuse's board.
The Orange got their man when he committed to Syracuse on June 7.
The Plantation (FL) American Heritage three-star prospect picked the Orange over two dozen other offers, including Boston College, Duke, Rutgers, Northwestern and Kentucky, among many others.
“The culture 100 percent,” Ramos said. “Coach Fran Brown is building a program of success through hard work, he genuinely cares about his players and wants to do everything he can to help them succeed.”
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Published Jun 22, 2026
CHARLES KANGCharles Kang is a Syracuse Recruiting Analyst for The Juice Online with On SI. Previously, he has worked at Scout, Rivals and SportsNet New York (SNY).
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
