Former SU defensive back Tanard Jackson may have smoked some drugs. Alright, he definitely did. The Tampa Bay safety will sit out the year for the infraction. After seeing another Orange DB in the pros and in the news, it got me thinking about Syracuse’s legacy of safeties over the last 15 years.
Go back to the mid-90s. Tebucky Jones and Donovin Darius played together in the Orange secondary; TOGETHER! They both went on to have successful NFL careers, with Jones winning a Super Bowl and Darius gaining the reputation as one of the hardest hitters in football. In fact, the first SU game I can remember watching, Jones pick-sixed against Toledo.
Jackson played corner while he was on The Hill, but his prowess as a more physical back led the Bucs to convert hm.
Shamarko Thomas has done some amazing things behind Max Suter in his time in the Salt City, and he’s headed for bigger things.
Who’s next in line? We mused about this before in the golden days of thedashow.com/orangefizz when Rishard Andersen and Philip Thomas committed to the Orange.
Dale Peterman and Jaston George already have their names in Syracuse ink, but they’re more suited for the cornerback position.
Check out Corian Hamilton from Orlando, FL. He’s got offers from, well, everywhere.¬†USF, UConn, Auburn, you name it. This kid may be a reach for SU.
Then there’s Jaiquan McCants from Paterson, NJ. It’s between Rutgers, Temple, and the Orange.¬†Think that game in Piscataway is looming large for HCDM?
Posted: Ted Conroy
