Ebenezer Ogundeko can be a big fish in an Orange pond or a minnow in the SEC ocean.
That’s the question Thomas Jefferson’s All-American defensive end faces as he enters the homestretch in his long-winding recruitment.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound standout is down to four schools: Florida, Clemson, Ole Miss and Syracuse.
New York State’s top recruit, ranked 20th among defensive ends in the country by Rivals.com, Ogundeko begins four successive weekends of official visits with a trip to Gainesville, Fla., this weekend. A one-time UConn commit, he is a workout warrior. He put himself through three-a-days during the summer and bench-presses 385 pounds and squats 545.
Success at any of the three SEC schools likely would equate into an NFL career, but there is also nothing guaranteed in terms of immediate playing time.
“I need to compete and work hard to get to where I want to be,” he said. “That’s not going to be a factor.”
Then there is Syracuse, the first school to offer him a scholarship, a program that has made a habit of landing the top city stars, including his best friend, Tottenville running back Gus Edwards.
Ogundeko, who will announce his decision during the Under Armour All-American Game Jan. 5 at Tropicana Field in Tampa, Fla., would be the face of Syracuse football, widely considered the biggest name recruit under head coach Doug Marrone’s watch. Ogundenko has been up to Syracuse a few times and a starting position likely would be his as a freshman.
“I have to put all those differences aside and see what school offers me the best opportunity for what I’m looking for, and how it will affect me in four or five years,” said Ogundeko, who had 71 tackles and 15 sacks in leading Jefferson to a 6-2 record this fall. “It’s all business.”
A stellar student who will graduate in December and a prospect who went from zero scholarship offers to more than 30 in the offseason after his impressive junior film circulated among the country’s top coaches, Ogundeko is unique.
His future endeavors aren’t, however, which may spell doom for the Orange.
“My No. 1 priority is the NFL,” he said.
* Dynamic Xaverian running back Laray Smith has set up an official visit to Syracuse the weekend of Dec. 8 and may go to Tennessee the following weekend. Also a track star, the Semper Fidelis All-American recently landed offers from Illinois and Ole Miss, schools in which he would be able to walk on for football, and also holds football offers from Indiana, Buffalo, UConn and Purdue. He plans to pick a school in January. …
Sheepshead Bay lineman Rashaad Coward holds offers from Albany, Stony Brook and Wagner College and high interest from Maryland and Buffalo. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound senior will start taking visits once his season ends. …
Tottenville 6-foot-3 wide receiver Malique Belfort will visit West Virginia in two weeks and holds offers from Maryland, Syracuse, Boston College, Virginia and Illinois.