Syracuse picked up its second preferred walk-on this week with Worcester (Massachusetts) Academy, Class of 2016 running back Otto Zaccardo.

Zaccardo, who announced his commitment via Twitter on Friday night, said he was recruited primarily by new defensive quality control coach, John Pike.

Zaccardo graduated from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional (Massachusetts) High School in 2014 as the school’s top rusher on the football team and a leader on the undefeated track and field team. He spent his post-graduate year at Worcester Academy.

The running back, who was listed at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds on Hudl.com in 2015, joins a new Orange offense that plans to be much more up-tempo than in years past and ran 155 plays in the spring game. Zaccardo’s Hudl bio also lists his 40-yard dash time at 4.56 seconds.

He is the third walk-on to commit to Syracuse since new head coach Dino Babers’ hiring and the fifth player to join the Orange since National Signing Day. Track the Class of 2016 here.

He joins a roster that has six running backs already, but none that are freshmen. Syracuse has four sophomores (Jacob Hill, Dontae Strickland, Jordan Fredericks and Tyrone Perkins), one junior (Ervin Philips) and one senior (George Morris).

Strickland led the ground attack in Syracuse’s spring game on April 2, followed by freshman Moe Neal, who is listed as a wide receiver, and Fredericks.

Published on April 9, 2016 at 6:50 pm

Contact Sam: sjfortie@syr.edu | @Sam4TR