The Syracuse Orange is one of the most storied programs in college football, dating back to 1889. While a National Title has largely evaded the program, with its only title coming in 1959, the Orange has produced a number of great collegiate and professional players.
This list of the top five freshmen in Syracuse Orange history features first-year players who were not just part of the team but a focal point of the program. (Note, this article is about players in their true freshman season, not those like Jim Brown or Ernie Davis who made an impact during their first season on the team, but were classified as a sophomore.)
Joe Morris (Running Back, 1978)
After being an All-State high school athlete for the Ayer Panthers, Joe Morris exploded onto the college football scene in 1978, setting a freshman rushing record of 1001 yards, a mark that still stands today. Over the course of the eleven-game season, Morris produced a quartet of 100-yard games, highlighting his durability and talent. Morris went on to earn the Eastern College Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year award.
Morris would go on to set the Syracuse all-time rushing record with 4,229 yards, earning a spot on the 1979 All-East First Team and the 1981 All-East Second Team. The Orange would retire his #47 jersey. Drafted in the second round of the 1982 NFL Draft, Morris spent eight seasons in the NFL.
Dwight Freeney (Defensive End, 1998)
A multi-sport high-school athlete while playing for the Bloomfield Warhawks, Dwight Freeney earned four letters in basketball, three in football, and one in soccer. Heavily recruited by the Orange, Freeney made an immediate impact as a freshman on the defensive side of the field. With a blend of speed, power, and athletic ability, Freeney energized the Orange defense while disrupting opposing offenses and terrorizing quarterbacks.
A two-time All-East First Team member and an All-American, Freeney, whose #54 jersey would be retired by the Orange, was selected with the 11th pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, playing 16 seasons, earning a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts and often impacting the weekly free NFL picks that bettors like to take part in.
Stefon Thompson (Linebacker, 2020)
While he is currently getting set to play for the Florida State Seminoles, his third school of his collegiate career, Stefon Thompson earned his reputation as an elite defensive player while suiting up for the Orange. A three-star prospect from Long Island, New York, Thompson’s versatility and playmaking made him an attractive recruit coming out of high school.
Starting seven of his first ten college games, Thompson was the first true freshman to start the season since 2010. Thompson finished the season with 35 tackles and 3 sacks. After four seasons with the Orange, including a redshirt junior year, Thompson entered the transfer portal to join the Nebraska Cornhuskers for a year.
Duce Chestnut (Cornerback, 2021)
Thanks to the transfer portal, Darian “Duce” Chestnut has had an interesting collegiate career that has seen him sandwich an opportunity to play at his dream school within two stints with the Orange. A four-star recruit coming out of Camden High School, Chestnut, grew up dreaming of playing for the LSU Tigers. Unfortunately, LSU did not come calling when Chestnut finished his career with the Panthers.
Suiting up for the Orange, Chestnut immediately made his presence felt, finishing the season with 43 tackles and leading the team with three interceptions in his first year, a season in which he earned Freshman All-American honors and finished second for the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Following Chestnut’s equally impressive sophomore season, he entered the transfer portal to join the Tigers for just 4 games during an injury-impacted junior season. Chestnut, who is currently set to play his final college season with the Orange in 2025, returned to the Syracuse campus for his redshirt junior season.
Demetres Samuel (Defensive Back/Wide Receiver, 2025)
Ok, we are cheating a bit here, as the four-star freshman has yet to play a single down of college football. However, the hype surrounding Demetres Samuel is on the same level as that of former Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter. With up to 26 schools in the running for his talents, the 17-year-old star, who graduated high school a year early from Florida’s Heritage Panthers, is expected to make a huge impact on both sides of the field.
