Liverpool edge Braylon Otis flips commitment to Syracuse football

Syracuse’s push to keep Central New York talent home got a major boost Sunday when Liverpool edge rusher Braylon Otis flipped his commitment from Boston College to the Orange. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound defender from Liverpool High School announced the change after an official visit to Syracuse over the weekend, turning a long courtship into a local win with real recruiting value for Fran Brown’s program.

Otis had been committed to Boston College since Feb. 9, 2026, but Syracuse continued to work the Liverpool native even as he drew Power Four offers from Kentucky and Virginia. 247Sports rates Otis as a three-star prospect, the No. 72 edge rusher in the 2027 class and the No. 5 player in New York. The 247Sports Composite places him at No. 84 among edge rushers and No. 6 in the state, putting him firmly among the top names in the region for the next cycle.

The production matches the profile. Syracuse.com reported that Otis has 10 career sacks, including seven sacks and 18 tackles in 11 games in 2025. That kind of output from a player still early in his high school career gives Syracuse something more than a feel-good local flip. It gives the Orange a younger, bigger body with pass-rush potential and a resume that already stands up in state rankings.

For Syracuse, the commitment also deepens a 2027 class that now includes 16 pledges and a second edge rusher in Bradyn Paulozzi. 247Sports lists the class 31st nationally, while On3 has it at 35th, a sign that Brown and general manager Thomas Caporale have kept the group moving forward on multiple recruiting boards. In a region where players often weigh whether to leave for Boston, the Atlantic Coast Conference or other Power Four programs, landing Otis helps Syracuse make the case that top local prospects do not need to go far to play at a high level.

Brown has made local recruiting one of his clearest messages since taking over, arguing that if a good player is from the area, Syracuse wants him to stay home and finish his degree in Central New York. Otis gives that pitch a face, a hometown, and a measurable on-field profile. For Liverpool, Onondaga County and the rest of Section III, the flip sends the same message: Syracuse is not just recruiting the area, it is trying to keep it.