Syracuse football officially adds most important piece, OT Ryan Alexander

Syracuse football has officially added grad-transfer Ryan Alexander. Here’s why he’s arguably the most important addition for the Orange in 2019.

The 10-3 season in 2018 was a really cool pinnacle moment for the Syracuse football squad. But sadly as seasons end in college football, inevitably players graduate and move on to other ventures.

Syracuse is no exception to that rule.

The Orange lost several key pieces from last year’s Camping World Bowl champs squad:

• Eric Dungey
  • One of the best quarterbacks in program history.
• SU will be replacing their entire starting linebacking corps (Ryan Guthrie, Kielan Whitner).
• Chris Slayton was selected by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft, leaving a massive void in the middle of SU’s defensive line.
• Jamal Custis signed on with the Kansas City Chiefs shortly after the draft on the richest guaranteed contract for any UDFA over the last two years.

But arguably the biggest loss is both offensive tackles moving on to NFL opportunities. Cody Conway was the definition of stability and consistency. He registered nearly 3,000 snaps and started over 30 games in a row over his final three seasons at left tackle.

While Koda Martin came over to the Orange for just one season, but it was a special one. At Syracuse, he lettered in 2018 after leading the squad in snaps played (1,111), per Cuse.com.

There’s a strong belief that Ryan Alexander, grad-transfer from South Alabama can have similar success at Syracuse.

The University made his addition to the squad official on Tuesday afternoon.

The talented big man started 27 games and appeared in 33 during his three seasons for South Alabama.

Ryan is listed at 6-foot-3 and 307 pounds.

He played mostly right tackle, where Koda Martin played for the Orange in 2018. But he also has had some limited experience at left tackle.

Prior to becoming an offensive lineman, he was a star tight end in high school: catching 40 balls for 400 yards and three touchdowns.

Why is he the most important addition for the Orange in 2019?

The key to this season is Tommy DeVito. Not only is he taking over for one of the best quarterbacks in program history, but he is one of the most hyped SU prospects this decade.

Thankfully the SU offense maintains the majority of the talented pieces that helped the Orange reach the 10 win barometer. So Tommy doesn’t have to do everything by himself, but what he does need is a stable pocket to throw from.

According to what we’ve seen so far from Tommy, he mainly likes to stick in the pocket. Perhaps he’s more mobile than given credit for, but we haven’t seen it enough to know if that’s a legitimate part of his game.

Which means the offensive line will have to be even better than it was for Eric Dungey.

In Dungey’s Orange career he totaled nearly 2,000 yards rushing. So even if the offensive line failed an assignment, Eric was able to shake loose and still make something happen. We’ll have to wait-and-see if that’s something Tommy is capable of.

Ryan Alexander has the capabilities of locking down one of the holes at tackle and potentially filling in for another spot if an injury occurs.

DeVito has the talent, that much is clear, if the offensive line can hold up, the sky is the limit for the Orange in 2019. It all starts and ends though with Ryan Alexander.