Syracuse Football: Oronde Gadsden returns, 5-star QB Kyle McCord has arsenal of threats

The holiday season keeps on delivering wonderful presents to the Syracuse football team, as star receiver Oronde Gadsden II said via his X page on Tuesday that he’s coming back to the Hill for another season.

Gadsden’s decision comes one day after All-ACC performer Justin Barron, an excellent defensive back, revealed via his X page on Christmas that he would return to the ‘Cuse for his senior year.

Head coach Fran Brown had recently hinted that the 6-foot-5, 223-pound Gadsden, a junior, might suit up for the Orange in the 2024 campaign, and Gadsden made it official on Tuesday.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native was an All-ACC first-team recipient in 2022, but he didn’t play much in 2023 after suffering a Lisfranc injury during the team’s home victory over Western Michigan in September.

Gadsden, who caught 61 passes for 969 yards and scored six touchdowns through the air in the 2022 term, was a preseason All-American candidate ahead of the recently completed 2023 stanza, when the Orange went 6-7 overall.

Syracuse football could have a terrific passing attack next season.

In 2023, the ‘Cuse had a limited passing game. Losing Gadsden early in the season was brutal, and senior quarterback Garrett Shrader in the second half of the term was severely limited with his throws due to a shoulder injury.

Looking ahead to the 2024 campaign, I’d expect the Orange to have a much more balanced offensive repertoire. The run game will still be a focus, as sophomore running back LeQuint Allen Jr. tallied more than 1,000 yards on the ground this past season, earning All-ACC second-team honors.

However, the ‘Cuse has landed a commitment from Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord, a junior quarterback who is rated four stars as a transfer and was a five-star prep recruit.

McCord should have a deep arsenal of receiving targets, both at tight end and at the traditional wide receiver position. Gadsden coming back is big.

The current transfer portal window is open until Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, so we don’t know entirely which players on the 2023 roster are returning or departing via the portal.

But guys who could make strong receiving targets for McCord, beyond Gadsden, include junior Damien Alford, redshirt sophomore Umari Hatcher, redshirt freshman Donovan Brown, redshirt sophomore Dan Villari (a tight end), and Allen, among others.

Within the team’s 2024 high school senior class, there are three-star wide receiver Ta’Ron Haile of Millville Senior High School in Millville, N.J., three-star wide receiver Jaylan Hornsby of Winslow Township High School in Atco, N.J., four-star wide receiver Emanuel Ross of Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, N.J., four-star tight end/wide receiver Jamie Tremble of The Wesleyan School in Peachtree Corners, Ga., and three-star wide receiver/athlete Ja’Meer Thomas of Bennett High School in Buffalo, N.Y.

Additionally, via the portal to date, Syracuse football has landed four-star Georgia freshman wide receiver Yazeed Haynes and three-star Georgia junior wide receiver Jackson Meeks.

Let’s see, in the future, what the 2024 roster ultimately looks like, but for now, on paper, the Orange’s receiving room appears to be pretty fantastic.