Michael Nnabuife is one of the top tight ends in the 2027 class, and over the weekend, he took a significant step in his recruitment journey with a visit to Syracuse for its matchup against Boston College at the JMA Wireless Dome. The St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) standout-who plays for the No. 1-ranked program in the country-has Syracuse firmly in his top six, alongside Alabama, Florida, Michigan State, NC State, and Maryland.
This trip marked Nnabuife’s first visit to Syracuse since he released his top schools list on November 7th, and it wasn’t just a casual stop. The 6-foot-5 playmaker made it clear that this visit was a priority.
He told Syracuse staff, including offensive quality control coach Dennis Thomas, that he wouldn’t be attending any other gamedays until he saw the Orange up close. That speaks volumes in the world of high-level recruiting, especially from a player with offers from some of the biggest programs in the country.
So what’s drawing Nnabuife to Syracuse? A lot of it starts with offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon and how the Orange utilize their tight ends.
Nnabuife said he’s a fan of the system, particularly how tight ends are featured in the passing game. That’s not just lip service-he’s studied Syracuse’s recent usage of players like Oronde Gadsden and Dan Villari, and even followed Gadsden’s transition to the NFL with the Chargers.
According to Nnabuife, Syracuse runs one of his “most favorable” systems for tight ends.
That kind of fit matters. For a player with Nnabuife’s size, athleticism, and upside, being in a system that doesn’t just use tight ends as blockers but as legitimate weapons in the passing game is key to unlocking his full potential.
And it’s not just X’s and O’s that stood out. Nnabuife spoke highly of the environment at Syracuse, describing the coaching staff as welcoming and the overall vibe as one of a real community. He spent time with players on the current roster, and the visit helped him see that Syracuse could be a potential home-not just a place to play football, but a place to grow.
After the game, he caught up with Villari, who was celebrating his senior day. The two talked about Nnabuife’s potential and how Syracuse could be the right place to develop it. That kind of player-to-recruit connection can be powerful, especially when it comes from someone who’s lived the experience and bought into the program.
Nnabuife wasn’t alone on the visit-his father made the trip as well and came away impressed. According to Nnabuife, Syracuse is now one of his father’s more favorable schools, which could play a role in the decision-making process down the line.
There’s also a growing pipeline from the DMV area to Syracuse, and Nnabuife is taking notice. His high school teammate, Maurice Medley, is already committed to Syracuse for the 2026 class and has been pushing him to visit.
The Orange have had success with Baltimore-area talent in recent years-Marlowe Wax and Sean Tucker both came out of that region and are now in the NFL. Nnabuife sees that trend and is thinking about how he might continue it.
While Syracuse is firmly in the mix, Nnabuife’s recruitment is still wide open. He’s already visited Alabama, Maryland, and Michigan State this fall, and there’s no sign that a decision is imminent.
The next big stage for him comes on December 10th, when St. Frances takes on Utah powerhouse Corner Canyon in the Overtime Nationals Championship.
It’s a matchup between two elite programs, and Nnabuife is looking to show why he should be considered the best tight end in the country.
For now, Syracuse has done its part to stay in the race. The staff made a strong impression, the system fits his skill set, and the visit gave him a real feel for the program. Whether that’s enough to land a commitment down the line remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: the Orange are firmly in the conversation for one of the top prospects in the 2027 class.