UPDATED: May 16, 2014 at 5:45 p.m.

Offensive linemen Samuel Clausman and Colin Byrne verbally committed to Syracuse on Friday afternoon, becoming the fifth and sixth players to join the Orange’s Class of 2015. Clausman confirmed both commitments via text message.

Clausman and Byrne are both juniors at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Clausman is listed as 6 feet, 4 inches and 290 pounds on Scout.com, and Byrne is listed as 6 feet, 5 inches and 295 pounds. Neither one is rated by Scout.com.

“It’s a great feeling,” Clausman said of committing with a high school teammate. “We both kind of decided when we looked at each other.

“(It was) A little funny, and we both kind of knew after sitting down and talking to (St. Thomas Aquinas head) coach (Rocco) Casullo about it.”

The two high school teammates are the first offensive linemen that Syracuse has picked up in the class, and the third and fourth players from Florida. Cornerbacks Davante Davis and Gerald Robinson (three stars) also hail from the Sunshine State.

With these two verbal commits, SU offensive coordinator George McDonald continues to build a reliable pipeline from the state.

In addition to Davis and Robinson, Clausman and Byrne join running backs Jordan Fredericks and Tyrone Perkins in the Class of 2015.

Published on May 16, 2014 at 4:17 pm

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman