Training camp is in full swing for Syracuse football which means plenty of excitement is in the air. But it also signals the start of injuries, and it took less than a week for the Orange to receive some unfortunate news.
On Monday new head coach Fran Brown announced that Braylen Ingraham, a defensive lineman, is out for the 2024 season with a torn Achilles tendon. As a senior, this will end a long college career for Ingraham that started in 2019.
It’s the first big hit to a defensive line that looks to be rejuvenated this upcoming season with Brown’s extended focus on the line of scrimmage.
Ingraham, like his new coach and several of his new teammates, made the SEC to ACC jump after playing at Alabama. But the defensive lineman did it a year early, announcing his transfer in December of 2022 before playing in every game this past year for Syracuse.
The senior had 16 tackles in his redshirt junior year with the Orange after sparingly playing for the Crimson Tide. An interior lineman, Ingraham figured to slot in again in the left defensive tackle position. Luckily for Syracuse, this position had some depth added over the offseason.
New Mexico State transfer Dion Wilson Jr. already figured to be competing for downs at the position, and now will have an even larger role. The 6-5, 296 redshirt senior brings both experience and size to the position, having played in 34 collegiate games already across three years at Arizona and one at New Mexico State.
Another option for SU is Rashard Perry. A true sophomore, the 6-3, 291 had ten appearances this year. Despite only one tackle, Perry has in-game ACC experience which is always a plus.
Across the defensive line, there are plenty of new faces, including defensive end transfers Isaiah Hastings from Alabama and Fadil Diggs from Texas A&M. There also are some familiar players like defensive tackle Kevin Jobity Jr. and defensive end Denis Jaquez Jr. that are primed for bigger roles.
While early injuries suck, it’s not time to sound the panic button with Syracuse’s newfound depth. And in a cool note, Ingraham will stay with the team despite injury, possibly leading to a coaching role for the experienced player.
