Syracuse lands three-star DB Dylan Northcutt, flips ATH Mikey McQueen

Syracuse kept widening its 2027 recruiting map with two defensive additions that say as much about Fran Brown’s pitch as they do about the prospects themselves. Three-star cornerback Dylan Northcutt of Sherman Oaks, California, chose the Orange after official visits to Syracuse and Kansas, then followed it with a flip from Temple commit Mikey McQueen, a 6-foot-4 athlete from Mount Holly, New Jersey, who is expected to play defensive back.

Northcutt is the kind of prospect Syracuse has sold well in the Brown era, long before he arrives on campus. The Notre Dame High School cornerback said Syracuse was his first Power 4 offer and that the staff made him feel like a priority throughout the process. He also pointed to Syracuse’s communications program as a factor, a reminder that the Orange are recruiting the person as much as the player. Northcutt, the son of former NFL wide receiver Dennis Northcutt, is listed by 247Sports as a three-star prospect with an 87 grade and ranks among the nation’s top cornerbacks. He did not begin playing football until his junior year, when he finished with 33 tackles, one tackle for loss, six pass breakups and one sack.

For Syracuse, Northcutt matters beyond the individual ranking. He is the program’s first 2027 commit from the West Coast, an important sign that Brown and defensive backs coach Korey Kates are selling a national vision, not just a regional one. That reach has helped the Orange build one of the larger early classes in the country, with the 2027 group growing into the low 20s and sitting around No. 35 to No. 36 nationally and 10th in the ACC in 247Sports’ team rankings during this June surge.

McQueen added another layer to that momentum. He committed to Temple on June 7 after an official visit, then came to Syracuse the weekend of June 12 and flipped to the Orange shortly after. Rancocas Valley High School listed him at roughly 185 to 188 pounds, and he has been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Along with Temple, he held offers from Akron and James Madison and drew interest from Penn State.

Taken together, the two commitments show Syracuse winning early with out-of-state prospects by leaning on relationship-building, clear role projection and a broader campus sales pitch. For Orange fans, the message is simple: Brown’s staff is not waiting for 2027 to come to them. It is already building the defensive roster and the recruiting footprint that could shape the next two cycles.