Syracuse Football: Buffalo safety transfer Devin Grant, All-League player, commits to 'Cuse

Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown and his staff continue to pick up high-quality players via the NCAA’s transfer portal.

On Monday afternoon, Buffalo safety Devin Grant, who was in the transfer portal and just took a visit to the Orange, said via his X page that he was committing to the ‘Cuse.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Grant, who had a terrific sophomore season for the Bulls out of the Mid-American Conference (“MAC”), is at least the fifth college transfer to pledge to Syracuse football in recent days.

Grant, who hails from Elmont, N.Y., was one of roughly 20 prospects who were on official visits to the Orange this past weekend. Right before Grant’s trip to Central New York, the ‘Cuse was receiving some buzz in his recruitment, as 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong forecast that Grant would ultimately commit to the Orange.

Syracuse football has landed a talented safety in Buffalo sophomore Devin Grant.

When I wrote this article on Monday, 247Sports’ national transfer rankings had placed Grant as three stars, No. 117 overall and No. 9 at safety.

Rivals.com, in its national transfer ratings, ranked him as three stars and No. 245 overall in the current cycle.

The industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking, meanwhile, listed Grant as three stars, No. 99 nationally and a top-10 safety.

As a member of the 2022 recruiting cycle, Grant was a standout at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, N.Y. In this class, 247Sports rated him as four stars, the No. 19 athlete and the No. 2 prospect in New York.

Grant, who is expected to have two years of collegiate eligibility left, entered the transfer portal on December 11.

In late November, per a press release on Buffalo’s athletics department Web site, Grant was named to the All-MAC first team.

As a sophomore in the 2023 season, he tallied 79 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, a league-best five interceptions, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. He also blocked a field goal and a punt in 2023.

When Buffalo defeated Central Michigan, Grant went full beast mode, collecting three interceptions and two pick-sixes.

By the way, as first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Syracuse football is bringing on board Robert Wright as the Orange’s linebackers coach. Wright, most recently, served as Buffalo’s defensive coordinator.

Besides Grant, those college transfers who have committed to the ‘Cuse in recent days include West Virginia freshman linebacker James Heard Jr., Ohio State junior quarterback Kyle McCord, Georgia freshman wide receiver Yazeed Haynes and Georgia junior wide receiver Jackson Meeks.