The summer of Dino Babers continues to bring new faces to the Hill. The Orange added another player to its roster in the form of graduate transfer De’Jon Wilson. The former Colorado defensive lineman announced yesterday on his Twitter account that he is enrolling at SU in the fall.
I’m blessed & honored to be apart of a prestigious program like Syracuse, I want to thank GOD #CuseNation pic.twitter.com/8LD6sARt1D
‚Äî De’Jon Wilson (@WhydeycallUPapi) June 18, 2016
It’s been a turbulent career thus far for Wilson who missed time with a back injury last year, but even when healthy, still did not see the field for the entirety of the 2015 season. He has only appeared in seven games throughout his college career, but after looking at tapes of Wilson, there are plenty of positives. He has quick feet and hands, which are essential for pass rushing. The Orange finished with the fourth fewest sacks in the ACC last season. Although Babers’ trademark is that fast paced offense, he hails from a program that finished third in the Mid-American Conference in sacks in both of his campaigns at Bowling Green State. Babers also brings along his defensive coordinator from BGSU, Brian Ward. This means that there likely won’t be much of a change in philosophy. The graduate transfer has a knack for getting to the quarterback with his speed and evasion, despite not being able to showcase it as much as he would have liked to while at Boulder.
The D.C. native’s arrival to SU comes at a pivotal time for the program which just lost its top pass rusher in Ron Thompson, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent. The move also benefits Wilson who probably would not have seen much of a change in playing time since the Buffalos returned their top defensive linemen.
The motto of this year’s Syracuse team speed, which Wilson most certainly has. He ran a 4.68 40-yard dash in high school. That figure would’ve been good for third amongst defensive linemen in this year’s NFL Combine. Wilson seems to fit what Babers and Ward are trying to do defensively in order to establish the new era of Orange football.
