Tight end has become a surprising strength for the Syracuse football offense

If it wasn’t obvious before the final drive of the game during Syracuse football’s upset win over SMU, it should have been apparent afterwards. Multiple key plays on that drive were made by Orange tight ends, a position that has become an underrated strength for head coach Fran Brown’s team. The contributions from the Syracuse tight ends have not gone unnoticed, and with the Orange likely to play close games down the stretch, the little details will be critical, making the tight end position key to Syracuse getting to a bowl game.

Magic against SMU

The 68-yard game-winning touchdown drive against SMU is a microcosm of what the tight end position has meant to the Orange this season. On a fourth-down play, David Clement snuck out of the backfield for a seven-yard reception to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, Daunte Bacheyie’s 15-yard catch-and-run set up the Orange offense at the two-yard line. Two plays after that, it was Noah Myers catching the winning touchdown pass from Steve Angeli.

That’s three different tight ends making three big catches in the span of three plays. As amazing as Umari Hatcher has been all season, and as promising as Calvin Russell III has looked the past two games, the Orange tight ends shouldn’t be forgotten or overlooked. That position group came up big when Syracuse needed it the most, which shouldn’t have been a surprise because they’ve been doing it all season.

A look back

If you look back at the tight end position before the season, “mystery” and “potential” were the operative words. The Orange has been spoiled in recent years with tight ends like Oronde Gadsden and Dan Villari. Last season, Villari had the impossible task of filling Gadsden’s shoes. But with Villari finishing his eligibility at the end of last year, there were huge questions about the tight end position heading into 2026.

Clement was the clear starter, although how much he would contribute to the passing game wasn't clear. That was a big reason why Syracuse brought in Meyers as a transfer from Western Kentucky. Of course, he had to adjust to playing against tougher competition. Finally, Bacheyie was the wild card of the group. He offered plenty of upside but had just five catches for 42 yards in 2025 as a freshman, so it was far from a guarantee that he would have a breakout season.

The tight ends have stepped up

As it turns out, all three Orange tight ends have exceeded expectations in 2026. Clement hasn’t put up huge numbers, but he’s shown a reliable set of hands in addition to being used as a blocker. Brown has also praised his leadership in helping with the development of the other tight ends.

Meyers has had to adjust from being a key part of the Western Kentucky passing attack last season to being a complementary piece with the Orange. A year ago, Meyers had 32 catches for the Hilltoppers, finishing fourth on the team in receiving yards. This year, Meyers has just eight catches in eight games. But two of those catches have been touchdowns near the goal line, making him one of Syracuse’s most effective players inside the five-yard line.

Finally, Bacheyie has been one of the true breakout stars on the Syracuse roster in 2026. He ranks second behind Hatcher in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns. Granted, he’s a distant second behind Hatcher. But until Russell emerged over the last two games, Bacheyie was the Orange’s most reliable receiving threat behind Hatcher, so it’s not surprising that he was a big part of the game-winning drive against SMU.

Keep it coming

With the Orange’s season back on track and a bowl game within reach, Syracuse will need its tight ends to keep being regular contributors. With the Orange slowly but surely getting better at wide receiver, there is less need for Bacheyie and the other tight ends to be prominent parts of the passing attack. However, the final drive against SMU showed that all three are useful and reliable when their numbers are called.

With six of the Orange’s eight games this season being decided by one score, more close games should be expected down the stretch. That means Syracuse needs to keep getting positive contributions from every player and every position group, including the tight ends. The good news is that position has been reliable so far and should be considered dependable during the Orange’s late-season bowl push.

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