Syracuse football 2026 season preview: The wide receivers room should have plenty of depth

Between injuries and subpar quarterback play for most of the season, the 2025 Syracuse football campaign wasn’t exactly favorable for the team’s wide receivers. To make things worse, top receivers Johntay Cook and Darrell Gill Jr. both left via the transfer portal, while Justus Ross-Simmons exhausted his eligibility. Thus, there will be a lot of new and unfamiliar faces playing wide receiver for the Orange in 2026. Let’s take a look at what this position group looks like heading into the 2026 season.

The starters

It’s anybody’s guess who will be starting at wide receiver this year, but Umari Hatcher, Tyshawn Russell, and Cole Weaver are the safest bets right now. Hatcher has had quite the odyssey for the Orange, starting 17 of his 37 career games. An injury cost him nearly the entire 2025 season. But that will allow him to play his final season this year, and Syracuse will surely need his experience.

Russell flashed some upside after transferring from South Carolina, only to suffer a season-ending injury after three games. If you squint, you might see a little Trebor Pena in Russell’s game. He’s got the speed to cause problems for defenses, although he’s lacking experience because of last year’s injury.

Finally, Weaver was a key pickup in the transfer portal. The 6’3’’ junior started at Miami (Ohio) last year, leading the team with 45 catches. While he was in the MAC, Weaver brings some much-needed experience, which is why he’s likely to open the season as a starter. His size should make him a safe option for quarterback Steve Angeli on third down and in the red zone.

The backups

Sophomore Darien Williams is among the most notable backup wide receivers on the roster. The CBA product played in eight games, including two starts, last year. With better quarterback play, he might have made more of an impact, but he’s certainly a player to watch closely in 2026.

Like Williams, JUCO transfer Zamondre Merriweather is another player who could push for a starting job at some point and should see plenty of the field this year. He spent three years at Boise State but never saw the field. However, Merriweather dominated the junior college level last year at Glendale CC, catching 59 passes for 961 yards and 15 touchdowns. Similar to Weaver, he adds size to the position with his 6’3’’ frame, giving him good upside.

Fellow transfers Elijah Moore and Matthew Outten also have a good chance to make the two-deep and see regular action in 2026. Moore, another big receiver at 6’4’’, played in just 14 games over two years at Florida State. But he was one of the top players in Maryland coming out of high school, so the only thing he could be missing is an opportunity to play. Outten also joins the Orange from a power-conference program, transferring from Penn State. He was a big-time recruit coming out of Virginia two years ago, but didn’t see the field with the Nittany Lions last year. With a track background, Outten’s speed could be useful for the Orange in 2026.

The rest

Don’t sleep on some of the players deeper on the depth chart, starting with Calvin Russell III. He’d probably be among the starters if not for a torn Achilles he suffered last April. The former five-star recruit is reportedly recovering well, with head coach Fran Brown confident he’ll play this season. However, it’s unclear when he might be healthy enough to play, or if he’ll make the kind of immediate impact many were expecting before the injury.

Another wildcard is Demetres Samuel Jr. He caught one pass last season, with his primary focus being on cornerback. Samuel has been hyped as a two-way player who surely has All-ACC potential on defense. But how much the coaches want to put on his plate remains to be seen. As a sophomore, he could be ready to handle regular duty on both sides of the ball, although it remains to be seen if he’ll be much of a factor at wide receiver.

Sophomores Darius Johnson, Terrell Wilfong and Julian McFadden could also have a chance to see the field. Johnson started a game last year. Wilfong is an interesting option at 6’6’’, who had some promising moments during the spring game. McFadden wasn’t available last year because of a broken collarbone, but he has the speed to be a wild card this season.

Finally, there is the contingent of true freshmen in BJ Garrett, Amare’ Gough and Phoenix Henriquez, as well as sophomore walk-on Nate Edwards. Gough was a four-star recruit who is undoubtedly the player to watch from that group. While he faces an uphill battle to see meaningful playing time right away, there are so few proven players on the roster that Gough and the other true freshmen might have a chance to quickly work up the pecking order.

The skinny

If nothing else, Syracuse has no shortage of options at wide receiver this season. There are even plenty of receivers who were highly-rated recruits at one time or another. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find receivers who are anything close to a sure thing to provide consistent production this year. Even some of the projected starters come with question marks.

Health figures to play a big factor as well. The likes of Hatcher and Tyshawn Russell missed most of last year because of injury, while Calvin Russell is working his way back. Syracuse is also hoping that transfers who either didn’t see much playing time at their old school or only excelled in junior college can provide an immediate boost.

The bottom line is that there are a lot of questions but few answers at this position group heading into the season. To be fair, you don’t have to look that hard to find players with considerable upside. However, Angeli and the coaches will have their work cut out for them with regard to finding consistent and reliable receivers. That could take time, which is a luxury the Orange may not have.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow