Tommy DeVito waited two seasons for his chance to be Syracuse’s starting quarterback. This season the redshirt sophomore got his shot. He was touted as Dino Babers’s “golden child,” but he isn’t playing up to expectations. DeVito is averaging 231 yards per game and has thrown for 15 touchdowns in nine games. His numbers aren’t horrible, but they aren’t as great as some people predicted.
After patiently waiting his turn, DeVito now might have some competition– Cade Fortin. Fortin is a former University of North Carolina quarterback and is now taking classes at Hutchinson College in Kansas. He committed to UNC out of high school and played in four games last season, before redshirting. Fortin then left the Tar Heels and is now training and taking junior college classes. He put his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal in August and is currently visiting schools to find his next team. Fortin is eligible to enroll in a new school in January.
Syracuse is among four schools Fortin is visiting. The others include Vanderbilt, Kansas, and SMU. He visited SU this past Tuesday.
Syracuse may be the biggest risk for Fortin when looking at his options, if he can’t beat DeVito for the starting role. Vanderbilt’s QB position will be up for grabs next season after graduate student Riley Neal leaves. Kansas’s starting quarterback Carter Stanley is a senior and graduating this year. Plus, the SMU QB spot will open up before SU’s.
So who is Cade Fortin and how could he impact the Orange if he decides to transfer to Syracuse?
Fortin came out of North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia as a three-star recruit. He was the 29th best pro-style QB in the class of 2018. Fortin has a big frame that helps him see over the offensive line and has a cannon of an arm to go with it. He is 6’3”, 210 pounds, which means he’s not the most elusive in the pocket. Instead, he relies on his arm to throw the deep ball. Fortin’s throws are accurate and can go up to 50 yards.
Fortin is very similar to DeVito. They both are pro-style quarterbacks that use their arms and are accurate. The big difference between the two is DeVito’s legs. He doesn’t use them too often, but when needed he can elude rushers and pick up yards on the ground. Fortin isn’t as light on his feet, but he is tougher to take down.
If Fortin does decide to come to Syracuse it will be interesting to see if he can win the starting spot over DeVito. If Dino is still at the helm for the Orange, it is hard to see him going away from DeVito, the player he recruited and has been grooming, but Fortin could definitely make it fun.
