We’ll have to see what kind of record Syracuse football amasses in 2022. I hope it’s one that includes at least six victories and a post-season bowl berth.
But one thing seems to be fairly clear. The Orange’s roster for the upcoming campaign is filled with veteran players, and the team’s roster will have a bunch of national stars within its ranks in 2022.
Naturally, things begin with All-American running back Sean Tucker. He shattered the program’s single-season rushing record in 2021, accumulating nearly 1,500 yards on the ground and earning a slew of national and Atlantic Coast Conference honors.
Understandably, after what he did a term ago, Tucker is receiving a lot of pre-season All-America buzz head of the 2022 stanza.
But guys like linebacker Mikel Jones, defensive back Garrett Williams and defensive back Duce Chestnut are poised to have strong 2022 performances as well that should have them among the very best at their respective positions on a national scale.
Syracuse football will boast a lot of star power in the upcoming campaign.
Per SU Athletics, Tucker was recently named to the Athlon Sports pre-season All-America first team, while Jones is on the fourth squad. Athlon Sports also recently named both Tucker and Jones to its pre-season All-ACC first group.
Tucker and Jones, lately, have picked up other pre-season All-America and pre-season All-ACC accolades. For one, Tucker was recently named to the pre-season All-America second squad by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Jones is getting the most national love to date from pundits at linebacker for the ‘Cuse, but the Orange’s entire line-backers core should prove excellent, given the veteran leadership of Jones, Stefon Thompson and Marlowe Wax.
Moving to the secondary, Syracuse football has two really exciting cornerbacks in Williams and Chestnut. Already, Williams is getting some 2023 NFL Draft buzz.
A recent cuse.com statement says that Williams is ranked the No. 2 cornerback across the country among draft-eligible prospects, according to Pro Football Focus.
In the secondary, both Williams and Chestnut have received 2022 pre-season All-ACC honors from the Phil Steele publication and Athlon Sports, per SU Athletics.
Not to get too ahead of myself, but I feel like the ‘Cuse has a legit chance to boast multiple players who are All-Americans and All-ACC first-team performers in the upcoming campaign.
Syracuse football, by the way, returns 17 starters from a term ago, which is a big, big number.