While head coach Fran Brown has brought in a multitude of weapons, he’s also lost some in the process. So, let’s look into which impactful players have left the 315, and where they’re headed.
Damian Alford
This one should be no surprise to anybody. Brown dismissed the Montreal native about two months ago in a surprising move despite leading the team with 610 yards, 33 catches, and three touchdowns last season. After his dismal, Alford ended up signing with Utah for the 2024 season. With the wide receiver gone, Syracuse must rely on returning senior Oronde Gadsden to replicate his 2022 season form. Alford filled in the hole that Gadsden created this past year, and now Gadsden must do the same to give this squad success. Thus far, SU has not recruited any notable receivers from the transfer portal to accompany Gadsden.
Kevon Darton
Last season, Darton was possibly the Orange’s best defensive lineman. He finished the previous season second on the team with 12 tackles for loss in addition to a team-high five sacks. Even though Brown has added some fresh talent, such as edge Fadil Diggs, Darton’s departure will be felt on the field. The junior redshirt announced in February that he will be signing with Arizona for the upcoming campaign.
Leon Lowry
Lowry is an underrated loss for Syracuse going into next season. The redshirt sophomore started every game for SU this past year and played in 27 games overall for the Orange before transferring. Lowry ranked fourth on the team this season with 7.5 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He also tallied 46 tackles with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. While not as big losses as the other two players listed above, Lowry was a solid defensive piece. The New Jersey native was a depth piece that Syracuse must look to find elsewhere on the roster this season. Lowry transferred to Wisconsin in January for the next year.
