Syracus has raced out to a hot start in the 2026 cycle, with nine commitments. SU is currently ranked 10th in the country, and that includes offensive lineman Steven Pickard Jr. We discussed his commitment on today's Juice on the Cuse Podcast, presented by Rivals and Bleav.

One of the top reasons he committed is because of head coach Fran Brown.

"Personally, what made me want to do it is, I love Coach Brown. I love his energy. He's such a leader, great motivator. I just love everything about him."

But Pickard, who plays at Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy, also selected SU because this is a homecoming for him. Aside from being born in Syracuse and still having extended family that lives there, his mother is a graduate of the law school, his father and grandparents own business there, and his very first football game was at the Carrier Dome.

Afterward, we discuss Syracuse's win over California in basketball, the lacrosse team's 24-5 win over Jacksonville, and a blueprint for sustained success for the football team.

You can listen to our whole conversation by following “The Juice on the Cuse Podcast,” a Syracuse Orange podcast presented by Rivals.com, by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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