With offensive potential out of the way, it’s time to cover the defense. Syracuse will be promoting countless young underclassmen to the front lines. From a true freshman who can play both ways to a transfer senior who has more college football experience than anyone else on the team, the potential for this defense on all three levels is apparent. Still, will it be enough to greatly improve their turnover differential, and will it be mature enough to limit the penalties? Here are three players who can help the Orange improve on all three levels of the defensive end:
Potential Breakout Stars
David Reese, EDGE, California
One of many fresh faces to enter the program, Reese is not new to college football, which is an understatement. This will be Reese’s eighth year in college football, so expect him to lead and mentor the others. As for his play, Reese has been through all sorts of ups and downs.
Five years with the Gators, Reese found neither consistency nor production. Only appearing in 20 games, Reese never recorded a sack for Florida. After five years, Reese transferred to Berkeley and immediately improved. In 2022, Reese had 6.5 sacks and 33 tackles for Cal. Against UCLA and quarterback Dante Moore, Reese totaled three sacks, his career high to this day. In 2024, he took a small step back but still put up moderate stats of 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Now heading into his eighth year, Reese becomes the veteran presence the Orange needed and an anchor on the line.
KingJoseph Edwards, EDGE
With a name as noticeable as KingJoseph, the nation is going to hear the King’s name a lot, likely for his play more than his name.
Recruited out of Hoschton, Georgia, Edwards became the Orange’s second-highest recruit in their 2024 freshman class. Formerly a two-way player, he became a dominant edge his senior year at Mill Creek High School, helping the Hawks go to a AAAA state quarterfinal. With his senior production, Edwards became a four-star prospect and was ranked as the 24th best edge rusher in the nation, per 247Sports.
Redshirted last season, Edwards showed flashes of potential in his limited play. Appearing in five games, he was able to produce three sacks, all against Holy Cross on September 28, 2024. At the end of the season, Edwards racked up seven solo tackles. Now with Reese on one side and Edwards on the other, this could be a great dynamic duo.
Demetres Samuel Jr., CB/S
The last player on this list who can break out this season for the Orange is the youngest player to be mentioned. True freshman Demetres Samuel Jr. instantly becomes one of the top players in the secondary.
From Palm Bay, Florida, Samuel specialized in every side of the ball at Heritage High School. As a sophomore and junior, he was a true utility, scoring on offense and special teams. On top of scoring, he was a successful corner, breaking up several passes. As a sophomore, he had five interceptions.
With all this being said, Samuel originally committed to Syracuse in March of 2024. Later that year, in July, Samuel flipped his commitment to Florida and reclassified to the 2025 freshman class. Nevertheless, two months later, Samuel flipped back to the Orange. In a crazy scene of events, the Orange landed their number-one guy.
Already, Coach Fran Brown has hinted at the idea of Samuel’s starting right away at corner and maybe even getting some minutes on the offensive side. Samuel joins a secondary looking to improve its previous 227 passing yards allowed per game and its 0.8 interceptions per game. With his versatility and true athleticism, Samuel becomes the most enticing player on the roster.
From a long-time veteran to promising underclassmen, these three have the potential to make the Orange more efficient on the defensive end. It’s never easy rebuilding a defense, but these guys and many others give the Orange a chance to limit teams like Tennessee this upcoming season.
As the season gets closer, more names will arise. Be on the lookout for Syracuse Football news, including future recruiting intel and the official 2025 season preview.
Main Image: Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
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