Syracuse Football: 5 Freshmen that will make an impact in 2019
By Andrew Carey
n/a. . DL. Syracuse Orange. DREW TUAZAMA
Let’s move over to the defensive side of the ball. We’ve already touched on three offensive guys that could make an impact. Syracuse returns 8 of their 11 starters on defense from last season. They are incredibly deep and talented in the secondary and defensive line.
With that being said, if there’s one weakness among those position groups, its interior defensive line. Syracuse graduated Chris Slayton, who went on to get drafted by the New York Giants in the 7th round of the 2019 NFL Draft. During his career at Syracuse, Slayton was a productive player, but more than anything, he ate up double teams in the middle. He was the guy that allowed edge rushers, Kendall Coleman and Alton Robinson to get to the quarterback if they won their one-on-one matchup.
Syracuse is returning defensive tackle, McKinley Williams who started in 13 games a season ago. They also return Josh Black, who started his career at defensive end, but last season switched to more of an inside player.
Tuazama comes to Syracuse as a guy that can play either inside or outside on the defensive line. He’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 220-pounds. That is pretty light for an interior lineman, but Tuazama enrolled early in January. He has a chance to add some serious weight over the eight months before the season starts.
If he does add the weight, he can be a backup contributor at interior DL. Kenneth Ruff is another defensive tackle that showed signs of promise last season, but beyond Williams, Ruff, and Black, there isn’t much depth at the position.
Tuazama is reportedly a freak athlete. He graduated from high school in 2018 and looked like a promising tight end prospect. He had offers from the likes of Miami, Florida State, and Ole Miss. Ultimately, Tuazama ended up attending Jireh Prep in North Carolina, where he started dominating on the defensive line. That’s where Syracuse scooped him up as a defensive lineman, where he looks to contribute this season.
Tuazama also had a strong spring and has seen some significant playing time in scrimmages.