Recent Syracuse football commits will offset potential Kadeem Trotter loss
By Neil Adler
Kadeem Trotter, a reserve outside linebacker for Syracuse football, is entering the transfer portal, per a report.
Syracuse football picked up a pair of three-star linebackers in its 2021 recruiting cycle over the past few days, but the Orange may also say good-bye to fellow LB Kadeem Trotter, who is currently a reserve on the squad.
According to CuseNation.com’s Mike McAllister, who cites a source, Trotter has entered the NCAA transfer portal, although he does have the ability to return to Syracuse.
The 6-foot-2, 226-pound Trotter, whose hometown is in Canton, Ohio, would head into the Orange’s 2020 campaign as a redshirt junior.
A three-star prospect in the 2017 recruiting class who went to McKinley Senior High School in Canton, Trotter appeared in six contests for Syracuse during his sophomore stanza as a member of the kickoff-coverage unit, says his bio on cuse.com. Trotter didn’t record any statistics.
Given Trotter’s modest amount of playing time, one wouldn’t initially think that if he did ultimately leave the Orange, it will significantly affect the ‘Cuse defense. That may prove true, however, should Trotter bolt Central New York, it will still sting Syracuse’s depth at the linebacker spot to some degree.
Kadeem Trotter joins Juan Wallace Jr. as recent Syracuse football linebackers to put their names into the portal.
By extension, earlier this month another reserve linebacker, Juan Wallace Jr., said that he will enter the transfer portal. Wallace is a rising junior who suited up in 11 encounters for the Orange as a sophomore.
If Wallace, Trotter or both of them depart the ‘Cuse, their decisions will hopefully get balanced out by the recent commitments of 2021 three-star linebackers Austin Roon and Malik Matthew, as well as 2020 three-star linebacker Anwar Sparrow, who selected Syracuse at the end of last month.
Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Roon and Matthew each pledged their services to the Orange. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Roon is from Byron Center High School in Byron Center, Mich., while the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Matthew is out of Herbert H. Lehman High School in the Bronx, N.Y.
Both prospects are touted for their agility and flexibility in playing multiple linebacker positions, which could come in handy under new defensive coordinator Tony White and his 3-3-5 system.