After a busy summer of recruiting travel, Sachem North senior lineman Joe Cruz has verbally committed to Syracuse University.
Cruz, who traveled to Florida Atlantic, Rutgers, Pitt, Yale, UConn and Syracuse in the last six weeks, committed to the Orange after a conversation with head coach Dino Babers this week. He visited Syracuse on July 31, did a private workout and took a tour of the facilities and campus.
“After a great talk with Coach Babers and Coach Schmidt, I’m happy to announce my verbal commitment to Syracuse University to continue my football and academic career,” Cruz wrote on Twitter. “Thank you for the opportunity and can’t wait for the future.”
Syracuse plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference along with football powers like Florida State, Boston College, Miami and Virginia.
“Our goal is to build a successful football program with leaders that have high character and are achievement-oriented individuals,” Babers wrote in his offer letter to Cruz. “We want players that have a passion and love for the game of football.”
With Cruz, Syracuse is getting a returning All-Long Island two-way lineman who enters his senior season as arguably as one of the top linemen in New York. His 6-foot-6, 285-pound frame is even more impactful when you consider his 83-inch wingspan. He is the first lineman to commit to Syracuse from the Class of 2022.
Cruz is also the first Sachem player in 25 years to get a Division I FCS scholarship. The last was Hansen Award winner James O’Neal who played at Iowa State in 1996.
He will be the third Sachem player to compete in the ACC after Peter Maiello and Brian Bravy both played for Georgia Tech in the early 1990s.
“This has been an incredible experience for Joe and our program,” said Sachem football coach David Caputo. “Coach Babers and his staff are first class and we’re so proud to see Joe take this next step in his football career. He’s a special player with untapped potential.”
Sachem football, ranked No. 2 in Suffolk County’s Division I, kicks off the 2021 season on Saturday, September 11 at Brentwood.