Syracuse Football: Star Albany transfer heads to FSU; what’s next for SU?

Highly regarded and sought-after transfer player Jared Verse, who received offers from many high-major teams including Syracuse football, has announced via his Twitter feed that he will in fact transfer from the University of Albany to Florida State. I wrote about him recently along with a few other names I thought would be exciting to see playing at Syracuse but sadly this one did not pan out.

And while I am sad he did not choose Syracuse football because I really liked him, I wish him nothing but the best in his future. He is a talented defensive lineman who could have helped fill a critical need for the Orange football team but in life, people have to make the choice they feel is best for them, and Verse feels like FSU is the best fit for him.

https://twitter.com/JaredVerse1/status/1479606366058602499

So what or who is next for Syracuse to target in the portal? In recent interviews including with ESPN Syracuse, Head Coach Dino Babers has said that he and his staff are definitely utilizing the transfer portal and “hitting the portal hard.”

So instead of crying over spilled milk, I want to open up the fridge to see what milk bottle (I like my milk from Byrne Dairy glass containers whenever possible) we have left to choose from. Here are a few names with offers whom Syracuse football fans might like to see eventually commit to the Orange.

Let’s take a look at some possible other Syracuse football recruits.

Dan Villari – QB

The former Michigan Wolverines QB has announced he will transfer and has received an offer from Syracuse University, according to his Twitter account and various sources. Villari is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound duel-threat QB with 3-4 years of eligibility remaining. I like this as I truly think the QB position needs competition for the 2022 season on the Hill.

I like Garrett Shrader and think with a full offseason of workouts and practice that he can improve but I also think having someone else competing allows SU the opportunity to not only validate if he is THE starter but also give a reliable backup option should Shrader struggle or is injured as well.

I mean once upon a time a Michigan QB once sat on the bench when a $100 million dollar QB was ahead of him on the roster only to end up as possibly the greatest NFL quarterback of all time when the starter went down. And Villari is coming from working with Coach Jim Harbaugh to now potentially working with Coach Jason Beck and Coach Robert Anae, who have a history of working well with quarterbacks.

Isaiah Johnson – CB

Isaiah is a 6-foot-4 cornerback who is looking to transfer from Dartmouth with two years of eligibility left. SI’s Mike McAllister wrote a brief story on him, which you can find here, and why he thinks Isaiah is excited to come to Syracuse and that he is an intriguing name to watch.

This would solidify a solid secondary and provide depth at a position that has seen recent success resulting in NFL roster spots. Mike does note Colorado and Vanderbilt are also in the mix and pending Covid protocols, would like to visit all three soon.

Steven Stilianos – TE

Some of you may see the Orange targeting a TE and wonder why one may want to attend Syracuse based on a recent lack of involvement in offensive game plans. But don’t forget that with the addition of Coach Anae and Coach Beck, that could change. Steven is 6-foot-5, 245 pounds and would come in with two years of eligibility looking for a graduate degree. Syracuse could help both of those if the new staff can help show him how they will utilize him efficiently.

According to ESPN stats, he has averaged well over 100 yards receiving each season while at Lafayette and could provide a quality one, two punch with Chris Elmore utilizing the position in creative ways to help the passing game in 2022.

Francois Nolton, Dimitry Nicolas, Isaiah Buxton and Wayne Peart

These four players are not in the transfer portal but are actually high-quality recruits worth following. Wayne Pert is 6-foot-5, 255 pounds and has played on both sides of the ball at TE/FB and DT. Isaiah Buxton is a cornerback with a high school state championship on his resume and one of the most recent to announce he was offered a scholarship. Dimitry Nicholas is a 6-foot-4, 260-pound DE/DT who also has offers from Miami, Texas A&M, Georgia and Oregon. And last but not least is former Florida Gators commit Francois Nolton, who de-committed when the staff at Florida was removed. The good news is that Syracuse football was in early on him and he has a great relationship with Coach Nick Monroe but many will also point out that Nolton has other big-time offers now, which is not surprising based on the information Mike McAllister provided in a recent article.