Syracuse Football Transfer Portal Tracker: Defensive backs, wide receivers and a QB

At least 12 Syracuse football players have announced that they plan to enter the transfer portal when it opens early next month.

Some of the latest players to reveal that they plan to depart the Hill include redshirt junior defensive back Jalil Martin, freshman defensive back Kaylib Singleton, redshirt freshman wide receiver Emanuel Ross, redshirt freshman wide receiver Jaylan Hornsby and redshirt freshman quarterback Jakhari Williams.

As always, we're wishing all the Orange players who decide to transfer to another program nothing but great happiness, health and success moving forward!

The transfer portal in Division I football will run from January 2 to January 16. Numerous key players from the 2025 season, when the 'Cuse went 3-9 overall, are expected to return, and the Orange has a record-setting 2026 class at the high school level.

That being said, head coach Fran Brown and his staff will likely also hit the transfer portal hard when it opens for business, as the 'Cuse looks to rebound from a disappointing 2025 campaign.

Here are the latest Syracuse football players who plan to enter the transfer portal.

Jalil Martin
The redshirt junior defensive back from Chicago, who previously played at Nebraska, appeared in five games this past term, according to SU Athletics. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Martin registered two solo tackles and six total tackles in 2025.

Fatim Diggs
Diggs is a redshirt freshman linebacker from Camden, N.J. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Diggs, in 2025, played in five games with two solo tackles, three total tackles and one pass breakup.

Jaylan Hornsby
Hornsby, a redshirt freshman wide receiver, played in 11 games this past season. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound product of Winslow Township, N.J., caught eight passes for 103 yards with one score through the air.

Emanuel Ross
The redshirt freshman wide receiver, who hails from Jackson, N.J., was a former four-star prospect in the 2024 class. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Ross, in 2025, hauled in 10 catches for 110 yards and one touchdown while playing in six games.

Kaylib Singleton
The former four-star defensive back in the 2025 cycle played in eight contests this past stanza. The 6-foot-1, 188-pound Singleton, from Jacksonville, Fla., tallied eight solo tackles, 16 total tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss.

Ethan Stangle
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Stangle, from Bel Air, Md., is a redshirt junior long snapper who appeared in all 12 games for Syracuse football in the 2025 season.

Jakhari Williams
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Williams, a redshirt freshman quarterback from Macon, Ga., didn't see the field at all in the 2025 campaign for the Orange.

These guys below, I wrote about in a prior article about current Orange players who plan to enter the transfer portal when it opens next month:

Caden Brown
On December 8, Brown said that he planned to enter the portal. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound linebacker is a sophomore out of Queen, N.Y., and his dad played for the Orange in the late 1980s. In the 2025 term, Brown appeared in two games, registering one total tackle.

Malachi James
James said on December 7 that he would enter the portal once it opens. His statement was telling. James said that he had hoped to stay at the 'Cuse, but circumstances beyond his control made it best for him to depart the program. Hmmm. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound James, a sophomore running back/return man out of Willingboro, N.J., only played in two games this past stanza due to injury.

Ibn McDaniels
McDaniels said on December 9 that he plans to enter the transfer portal. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound McDaniels, a redshirt freshman defensive back from Elizabeth, N.J., appeared in 11 games this past term but only collected two total tackles.

Derek McDonald
McDonald, a redshirt senior linebacker from Atlanta, said on December 9 that he plans to enter the portal. He is expected to apply for a medical redshirt for the 2025 season after only appearing in four games due to injury. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound McDonald, in 2025, produced four solo tackles, eight total tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss.

Chase Simmons
The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Simmons, a redshirt senior defensive lineman/tight end, hails from Little River, S.C. He said on December 9 that he plans to enter the portal. In 2025, Simmons played in six contests. He had three solo tackles, seven total tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss and 0.5 sacks.