Syracuse Football 2025 Preview: Young Orange cornerbacks step into the spotlight

The transfer portal can give, but it can also take away. At the cornerback position, the portal took away more than it gave for the Syracuse Orange in 2025. Both Marcellus Barnes and Jayden Bellamy, who could have easily been the starting cornerback tandem this season, left Syracuse football in the portal. That has left the Orange with a young and largely unproven set of cornerbacks for the 2025 season. Let’s take a closer look at how things stand at this position.

The starters

The hype train has been charging full steam ahead for months when it comes to true freshman Demetres Samuel Jr. It remains to be seen whether the two-way player can work his way into the rotation at wide receiver. But Fran Brown has long labeled the Florida native as a Day One starter at cornerback. While it’s a big ask for a player who could still be in high school, Samuel was a four-star recruit and looks up to the challenge.

Another new face who looks poised to be a starter at cornerback is Georgia transfer Chris Peal. Despite playing in just five games over his two seasons with the Bulldogs, Peal was coached by Brown when he was the defensive backs coach at Georgia in 2023. Peal was also a four-star recruit coming out of high school and nearly won the North Carolina state long jump competition twice. Despite a lack of game experience, Peal has the athleticism and pedigree to step into a position of need for Syracuse.

Finally, Brown has already said that Davien Kerr will be the starting nickel back. Kerr played in eight games as a true freshman last year, including starts in the final four games of the season. That experience should serve him well, as the Connecticut native will have an important role as the nickel corner, while also providing depth behind Samuel and Peal.

The backups

Despite losses in the transfer portal, Syracuse retains at least one reserve cornerback with experience in Greg Delaine. Now a redshirt junior, Delaine has 23 games of experience under his belt. That experience should help him keep pressure on Samuel, Peal and Kerr for the starting spots. It also gives the Orange a player who can be part of the rotation at cornerback to help keep everyone fresh.

Sophomore Braheem Long is another notable cornerback to watch in 2025. He was primarily a special teams player last season, although the Camden, New Jersey, native appeared in 11 games. Depending on how much he has developed during the offseason, Long has a chance to join the rotation at cornerback and see an increased role this season.

Two more players who could provide depth at cornerback are Ibn McDaniels and Marcus Washington. McDaniels saw some action as a freshman last season, but managed to preserve his redshirt. He could take a step forward and find a bigger role this year. Washington, meanwhile, spent time at Georgia and Louisville before transferring to Syracuse, only to miss all of 2024 with an injury. A former four-star recruit, if Washington can stay healthy, he could play regular snaps for the Syracuse defense.

The rest

There are several freshmen cornerbacks aside from Samuel who could provide extra depth at cornerback or have a role on special teams this season. Kaylib Singleton was among the top recruits in this year’s freshman class, so he might have the best opportunity to see the field. Javon Lawrence, Rayshon Andrews, Ziyyon Bredell, and Davion Kerr (the twin brother of sophomore Davien Kerr) are all true freshmen cornerbacks, although it remains to be seen if any of them will see much of the field or redshirt in 2025.

The skinny

Cornerback has to be among the biggest question marks for Syracuse ahead of the 2025 season. With Samuel and Peal, there is undoubtedly plenty of talent. However, their inexperience could easily be exposed, especially given the Orange’s brutal schedule. Even Kerr and Delaine don’t add that much starting experience to this position.

This is also a position where Syracuse may not be able to survive injuries. Further down the depth chart are mostly redshirt freshmen and true freshmen who may or may not be ready to handle big roles. Even if Samuel, Peal and Kerr are up to the task, beyond Delaine, there is no clarity on who might serve as rotational depth this season. Time will only tell if the cornerback position becomes a problem area for Syracuse in 2025 or if this position group is a pleasant surprise for the Orange this season.