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Four Former Syracuse Footballers Land on NFL Teams

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via Syracuse.com

While the graduating Syracuse seniors from the football team may not be as highly touted as last year’s senior class, four former Orange found success during and after the 2014 NFL Draft weekend.

Syracuse’s highest drafted player was defensive tackle Jay Bromley, who was taken 74th overall by the New York Giants.  Bromley was taken higher than his projection, and was actually in the supermarket when he was drafted.  He didn’t believe that he was taken in the third round.

Here’s a video of Bromley receiving the call.¬†

Bromley will join Justin Pugh (19th overall, first round) and Ryan Nassib (110th overall, fourth round), who were taken in last year’s draft by the Giants.  Head coach Tom Coughlin is also an alumnus of Syracuse University.

General Manager of the Giants, Jerry Reese, said that he expects Bromley to fit into the Giants’ defensive rotation right away.

In his senior season, Bromley totaled 42 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss and forced three fumbles.  He also had 10 sacks.  He was an All-ACC Third Team selection and started all 13 games for the Orange in his senior season.

The other Orange player drafted was linebacker Marquis Spruill.  Spruill was drafted 168th overall in the fifth round by the Atlanta Falcons.  While he is undersized to play linebacker in the NFL, he might be used as a nickel back or a special teams player for Atlanta.

Spruill totaled 66 tackles in his senior season, had 5.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss.  He also recovered a fumble.

Spruill will be joined by running back Jerome Smith, who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Falcons shortly after the draft concluded.  Smith anchored the running game for the Orange in his final season, leading the team with 12 touchdowns and was also selected to the All-ACC Third Team.

Defensive back Keon Lyn was also signed as an undrafted free agent after the draft by the Indianapolis Colts.  Macky MacPherson, Jeremi Wilkes, Ri’Shard Anderson, and Beckett Wales could also receive invites to training camps as undrafted free agents as well.

All in all, it looks like things are trending upwards for Syracuse football, and things are already looking bright for the 2014 season.

Posted by: Jason Weingold 

The Fizz is owned, edited and operated by Damon Amendolara. D.A. is an ’01 Syracuse graduate from the Newhouse School with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

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