Syracuse football's linebacker group for the upcoming 2026 season got a boost on Thursday when Toledo redshirt sophomore Chris D’Appolonia said he would transfer to the Orange, joining two of his former Rockets assistant coaches on the Hill.
Additionally, a talented transfer linebacker from the Southeastern Conference plans to visit the 'Cuse on Friday, I'm told.
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound D’Appolonia, who comes from Cranberry Township, Pa., should have two more years of college eligibility left. He visited the Orange earlier this week.
DART: Toledo transfer LB Chris D’Appolonia, a redshirt sophomore, will transfer to Syracuse football. D’Appolonia will join new SU defensive coordinator Vince Kehres (@vkehres) and new DB coach Perry Eliano (@Coach_Eliano), who both previously were Toledo assistants. 🧡 https://t.co/uz2QxeWqHG
— InsideTheLoudHouse (@LoudHouseFS) January 8, 2026
In the 2025 season for Toledo, which had an elite defense nationally this past stanza, D’Appolonia tallied 36 solo tackles, 68 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and four pass breakups. At the time of this writing, he was three stars, No. 525 overall and No. 50 at linebacker, according to transfer rankings from the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking.
Toledo's former defensive coordinator, Vince Kehres, is now in the same role with the Orange. Former Rockets cornerbacks coach Perry Eliano has joined Syracuse football as its new defensive backs coach.
Another transfer linebacker is visiting Syracuse football.
Kris Jones, a redshirt freshman linebacker at Georgia, is expected to visit the Orange on Friday, a source confirmed to me. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Jones, from Stafford, Va., appeared in 14 games during the 2025 campaign for the Bulldogs, which reached the quarterfinal round of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Jones, in 2025, registered one solo tackle and seven total tackles. Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown served as the defensive backs coach at Georgia before taking over the 'Cuse program. In transfer rankings from 247Sports, Jones is three stars, No. 153 overall and No. 11 at linebacker.
Linebackers from the Orange's 2025 roster who are likely to return in the 2026 term include Antoine Deslauriers, a freshman All-American, and Gary Bryant III, a redshirt junior. The 'Cuse 2026 class at the prep level includes three-star linebacker Gemaus Sackie from New Jersey.
At this juncture, Syracuse football has landed at least six college transfers, all of whom are rated three stars. On the 247Sports Web site, the Orange's 2026 transfer class is ranked No. 61 overall. The team's 2026 cycle at the high school level features 26 signees and is No. 31 nationally, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
The transfer portal opened on January 2, and it will run until January 16.