Texas defensive lineman Syncere Massey commits to ASU
Syncere Massey may have taken only two official visits in the month of June, but after the first such trip, to Arizona State, his mind was essentially made up. Consequently, the Texas defensive lineman announced this morning his pledge to the Sun Devils.
“When I visited, I just felt just a great vibe right from the start,” Massey explained. “I bonded with the players super quick. When we had dinner, we were chopping it up like we knew already each other, and the coaches were talking to you like we were friends. Everything they said to me felt genuine, and we built a great relationship."
The 6-5 266-pound Massey indicated that ASU is recruiting him as an interior 3-technique defensive tackle, and he appreciated the mentorship of his future position coach Robert Rodriquez who both highlighted the lineman’s strengths and offered his constructive feedback.
“Coach Rodriquez likes my height and speed,” Massey noted. “Most colleges can’t believe I run that fast for a 6-5 guy. A lot of them think I’m 6-2 or 6-3 the way I move around. So when I get to show them that I’m this fast at 6-5…I’m quick off the ball.”
“Massey has a good first step and uses his arms well to get around offensive linemen and into the backfield,” said recruiting analyst Chris Eaton. “Massey is relentless and continues to pursue the play, even if it's away from his zone, and never gives up on it. Playing defensive tackle, he shows the robustness to take on double teams and fight through them. Massey posted 45 tackles last year and helped the pass rush efforts for Cedar Hill High School, registering seven sacks and seven quarterback hurries.
“2020 was Massey's first year at Cedar Hill and his breakout game came early on in the Longhorn's second game at Aledo, the team that would be the eventual 5A state champs, Massey put himself on college's radars with a 10-tackle game (eight solo) in a 27-17 victory showcasing a strong work ethic. Cedar Hill went on to finish the year at 12-2, and was the 6A runner-up, as Massey earned first-team district 6A-11 selection.
“If he can continue to grow as a run stopper and improve on both his balance and his quickness in the small spaces, Massey has a chance to be a key building block on the defensive line at the collegiate level. As ASU transitioned from a 3-3-5 scheme to a traditional four-man front last year, it became more consistent in the pass rush. Robert Rodriguez’s NFL background, being focused on both technique and attention to detail can only help develop a player such as Massey.”
The lineman previously listed USC, UNLV and UConn as the schools that were recruiting him the hardest, and took an official visit to UConn on June 18th.
Cedar Hill head coach, Carlos Lynn applauded his player demeanor on and off the field as well as his rapid skill development.
“Syncere is an outstanding player, always does the right things, and has a great upside,” Lynn remarked. “He’s become a more consistent player and got better with his technique with attacking and hand placement. He’s gotten a lot better with the small details, and that’s why he made a lot of plays for us. He’s only played defensive tackle for us, and he plays very fast for such a big guy. That’s his superpower.
“Off the field, he’s a mama’s boy and has a very tight-knit family. He’s a team guy, and his family makes him that type of player. He’s always there, pulling for his teammates and their success. He’s more a leader by example because he’s a hard worker who plays like his hair is on fire. He doesn't say a whole lot, but when the younger players see someone like him work as hard as he does, they know they better work hard too.”
The lone star prospect is the second 2022 Sun Devils pledge from that state and the sixth overall Arizona State commit of that group.
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