A year ago, the defensive line wasn’t necessarily a huge strength for the Syracuse football team, despite the Orange winning 10 games. It was hard to find a standout player other than Fadil Diggs, who moved all over the front seven, or freshman Maraad Watson, who has since transferred to Texas. That being said, there are some familiar names and upperclassmen on the roster ahead of the 2025 season, so let’s try to make sense of what the Syracuse defensive line is going to look like in head coach Fran Brown’s second season.
The starters
It’s possible that Syracuse could start four seniors along the defensive line. The most notable name at that position could be Dion “Tank” Wilson. He missed most of the 2024 campaign with an injury, but he did start each game he appeared in, including the Holiday Bowl win over Washington State. This will be his sixth year in college after stints at Arizona and New Mexico State, so his experience figures to be critical to the Syracuse defensive line this year.
Wilson is likely to play one of the interior positions alongside Marshall transfer Chris Thomas. Once a four-star recruit, Thomas spent two years at Florida before finding success at Marshall over the past two seasons. The 6’6’’, 315-pound senior brings experience and pedigree to the Syracuse defensive line, putting him in a position to be a starter.
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On the outside, Kevin Jobity Jr. has a chance to regain his starting spot. Similar to Wilson, he was a starter early in the season before suffering a season-ending injury. His absence was felt, so getting him healthy and keeping him on the field will be a huge plus for the Syracuse defensive line.
Starting at the other defensive end position opposite Jobity is likely to be Cal transfer David Reese. Somehow, Reese is an eighth-year senior. The Fort Pierce, Florida, native was plagued by injuries early in his career with the Florida Gators but found good health and on-field success with Cal, collecting 11 sacks and five forced fumbles over the past two seasons. Syracuse hopes the 27-year-old has saved his best for what is likely to be his final year of eligibility.
The backups
With Wilson and Jobity missing most of last season with injuries, depth is obviously key for the defensive line. At the interior positions, junior Rashard Perry will be a key reserve. He’s played in 21 games over the past two seasons, including four starts last season. He might be able to push Wilson and Thomas for playing time. The same is true for George Rooks, who is the son of a former Syracuse football player and transferred to Syracuse after making 23 starts for Boston College over the past two seasons. Senior Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff also brings size and experience, as he’s played 32 games for the Orange, mostly in a reserve role.
“Peeling Back the Orange” - DT goes 1-ON-1 w/ Syracuse Orange DL George Rooks on transferring to SU, being a legacy w/ his Dad having played at SU, the Orange D-Line, & More…#Syracuse #collegefootball #sports #Cuse #OrangeNation pic.twitter.com/OX4EjZnneM
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At defensive end, Denis Jaquez Jr. is a familiar name who will provide depth behind Jobity and Reese. He has eight career starts and four sacks over his first three seasons with the Orange. Jaquez brings experience, although he’s also been bitten by the injury bug. Junior Isaiah Hastings also brings some experience at defensive end. He played in just one game over two seasons at Alabama before transferring to Syracuse. Hastings played in every game for the Orange in 2024, including a pair of starts. The productivity wasn’t necessarily there, but Hastings will have a chance to blossom now that the Toronto native is in his fourth collegiate season.
The rest
At defensive line, Syracuse will likely need more players than those on the two-deep at some point in the season. With a recruiting class of 35 first-year players, there are more than a handful of new additions to the defensive line. But whether any of them will be ready to see the field as freshmen remains to be seen.
After enrolling in January, DeAngelo Thompson might have a leg up in getting on the field in pass-rushing situations as a freshman. The size of Eric Thomas (6’4’’, 330 pounds) and Nissi Ogbebor (6’6’’, 300 pounds) could also make them candidates to see the field in blowout games or move into the two-deep if there are injuries. The rest of the defensive linemen in this year’s recruiting class include Nathan Nyandoro, Jaylen Pray, Elijah Crawford and Quante Gillians. Meanwhile, Marcale Billue and Clark Calloway featured mostly on the scout team last season, although Calloway played in the Holiday Bowl win.
The skinny
Luckily, there is nothing skinny about the Syracuse defensive line. There are at least two experienced players at all four defensive line positions heading into the season, giving the Orange good depth and plenty of capable players. The question is can they stay healthy and who will emerge as the difference-makers in the trenches? There is no shortage of candidates, which is the silver lining for Syracuse. If healthy, this unit should at least be able to hold its own. But whether the Orange has players who can turn into All-ACC-caliber defensive linemen remains to be seen. Answering that question will play a big role in Syracuse’s ceiling in 2025.