We know that the Syracuse Orange will be active when the transfer portal opens in January. In recent days we’ve started to learn news of current players who plan on entering their names.
So far, Derek McDonald, Malachi James, Cade Brown, Chase Simmons, Ibn McDaniels and Nick Armentano have stated publicly that they will be entering the portal. James’ announcement said that it wasn’t exactly his choice and the absence of Fran Brown’s name in his thank you messages leaves you wondering what happened
here.
Both James and McDonald missed most of the 2025 season with injuries. James was the kick returner and last year had a strong showing for the Syracuse track team. With his size and speed, it will be interesting to see if he looks to continue with both sports at his next stop.
Over his career with the Orange, McDonald totaled 173 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and one interception. A team captain, he certainly out-performed expectations when he chose “The Harvard of Central New York” over Harvard.
Simmons was switched to tight end but saw time at defensive end as well this season. Over four years, he appeared in 30 games and made 41 tackles. McDaniels played in 15 games over two seasons and made 11 tackles. Brown made 13 appearances in 2024 and 25 and made 4 tackles while Armentano appeared in two games over three seasons.
As this will be an on-going process through January, we will do our best to provide frequent updates.
