There’s something special about following college favorites once they hit the pros; every catch, tackle and snap feels personal. This season, Syracuse has a handful of former Orange who could affect fantasy lineups, move betting lines or simply give Syracuse fans bragging rights. Whether you’re shopping odds, thinking about player props or just watching for hometown heroes, these are the Syracuse names to remember in 2025.
Oronde Gadsden II — Tight End, Los Angeles Chargers
Gadsden posted two of the program’s top seasons for receptions and yards at the tight end spot. In 2022, he secured 61 receptions for 969 yards and six touchdowns, earning First Team All-ACC recognition. Despite suffering an early injury in 2023, ending his season, he bounced back in 2024 with 934 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 73 receptions.
Gadsden was selected 165th overall in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. His contested-catch ability and red-zone usage make him a fantasy streamer and a target for short-yardage and TD props.
Andre Cisco — Safety, New York Jets
As a freshman, Cisco started in 11 of 13 games, recording 60 tackles and seven interceptions, tied for most in the country, earning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and All-ACC. He finished his Syracuse career with 13 interceptions, 16 passes defended and 136 tackles. Drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round (No. 65 overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft, he spent his first four seasons with the Jaguars before joining the New York Jets.
Through 63 career games, he has 229 total tackles, eight interceptions and three forced fumbles. For gamblers, the best betting sites for NFL will offer all sorts of defensive-player props, like interceptions and tackles. Cisco could be a name to check in for games in which New York might be favoured or playing against a turnover-prone QB.
LeQuint Allen Jr. — Running Back, Jacksonville Jaguars
Allen finished his Syracuse tenure as one of the most productive dual-threat backs in program history. After finishing his freshman year with just 274 yards and a touchdown on 41 carries, along with 17 receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown, he bounced back in 2023, rushing for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns on 245 carries, along with 210 receiving yards and a touchdown on 38 receptions.
2024 was the real breakout, though, rushing for 901 yards but leading the ACC with 17 total touchdowns as one of the nation’s top pass-catching backs, receiving 476 yards on 61 passes. As a result, he was an honourable mention for All-ACC and selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round (236th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. His dual-threat ability makes him relevant for season-long PPR formats and live in-game rushing/receiving props if his role grows.
Sean Tucker — Running Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tucker broke program marks when he was at Syracuse, including a single-season rushing record of 1,496 yards in 2021, fourth best among all Division I FBS players. He also became the first player in program history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in eight games or fewer and had the most 100-yard games in a season (8) ever by a Syracuse football player.
Tucker finished his college career with 3,182 rushing yards and 27 rushing TDs, earning All-ACC, first-team All-American and was even named by some as a legitimate candidate for the Heisman Trophy in 2021. He went undrafted in 2023 but has spent the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While he remains behind Bucky Irving and Rachaad White in the depth chart, he’s proven to generate boom weeks and is a clear candidate for player props (rushing yards, receptions) when the matchup is favourable.
Jackson Meeks — Wide Receiver, Detroit Lions
Meeks transferred in 2024 after three seasons at Georgia and immediately produced big numbers, hauling in 78 catches for 1,021 yards and seven touchdowns, appearing in every game. He also won ACC Receiver of the Week in Week 5, recording 161 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions.
His production alongside his 6-foot-2, 218-pound profile makes him a rookie/young WR to monitor for late-season waiver value and weekly DFS upside. He went undrafted in 2025 but signed with the Detroit Lions on May 9. He is now competing for a depth spot behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Kyle McCord — Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles
McCord spent his freshman season at Ohio State primarily as a backup to starter C.J. Stroud. In 2023, he finally emerged as the Buckeyes starter, recording 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 66.4% completion rate in all 12 games, guiding Ohio State to an 11-1 record and a Cotton Bowl appearance. After entering the transfer portal, he officially arrived at Syracuse for the 2024 season.
McCord rewrote Syracuse passing records in 2024 (4,779 yards, 34 TDs) and finished top-10 in Heisman voting the same year. As a result, the Eagles, already with Jalen Hurts on the roster, were quick to snag him at No. 181 in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While he’ll remain a backup to Hurts, if he’s active, he’s one to follow for late-season depth pushes and any mop-up/backup snaps that could matter for prop markets.
Final thought: Fandom First, Wagers Second
The fun here is twofold: you get to root for players you saw in orange, and you can turn that fandom into smarter watching, not reckless wagering. Use matchup context, injury reports and snap data, and treat betting as a way to increase engagement, not the point of the game.
So, keep an eye on these Syracuse names through the first few rounds of NFL games as small sample sizes create opportunity, and a single breakout or role bump can change a player’s fantasy and betting profile overnight.
