Syracuse offensive line signee flips pledge, will suit up for a different ACC program
Syracuse, N.Y. — Steven Pickard Jr., a three-star offensive lineman in the Class of 2026, has reversed his commitment from Syracuse to Florida State, coming just a day before Early National Signing Day.
On3.com was the first to report Pickard’s change in plans on Tuesday. His father, Steve, confirmed the report to Syracuse.com but declined to add further comments.
According to 247Sports, Pickard stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 300 pounds. He spent last season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, a powerhouse program that went undefeated.
Pickard originally committed to Syracuse in January. He becomes the fourth member of Syracuse’s 2026 class to decommit in the last two weeks, a period that coincides with the Orange’s eight-game losing streak and what many consider one of the most challenging eras in the program’s history.
Syracuse recently announced that offensive line coach Dale Williams, who would have mentored Pickard, will not return next season. A new position coach for Pickard has yet to be announced.
All of Syracuse’s latest decommitments have come from lower-ranked prospects in 247Sports’ national composite rankings.
Pickard is listed as the No. 2,473 prospect in the country by 247Sports, with offers from programs including North Carolina State.
Syracuse remains ranked 26th in 247Sports’ team rankings, a position that would mark the Orange’s highest-ranked recruiting class in the rankings era if it held.
Locally, Pickard has strong Central New York ties. He grew up rooting for Syracuse, attended games at the Carrier Dome (now JMA Wireless Dome), and participated in SU spring practices. His father, Steve, played football at Christian Brothers Academy.
On his mother’s side, the Drescher family runs a longtime Syracuse business, the Drescher Corporation, owners of Paul deLima Coffee and Warner Energy, a solar energy company in Liverpool. Two of Pickard’s great-grandparents met at Syracuse, and his mother, Kristen, attended SU Law School. The family once lived in DeWitt, where Pickard attended Holy Cross School through the fourth grade.
In addition to Pickard, three other Syracuse recruits have decommitted recently: D’Antae Sheffey, E’Shawn Sutton, and Zikhere Leaks, all of whom announced they were exploring other options in late November after a blowout loss to Notre Dame.
For more updates, stay tuned to Syracuse.com’s Orange Football coverage.
Chris Carlson is a sports enterprise writer for Syracuse.com, focusing on projects, trends, and features involving Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, and Central New York.
