More target opportunities are available after yesterday’s surprise announcement
Syracuse Orange spring football camp is underway as Fran Brown and his team hosted their first practice on Friday. There were going to be several positional battles right from the start, but one more made itself known through unexpected news.
Sophomore wide receiver Zeed Haynes is no longer with the team. Coach Brown told reporters that he is still enrolled at SU but has chosen to end his football career early.
Haynes, who Fran recruited after a redshirt year at Georgia, missed most of the 2024 season with a personal matter. We of course hope that everything is all right with Zeed now and wish him luck with continuing his education.
Nevertheless, there is now a four-star sized hole in one of the outside receiver positions, and several current Orange have a chance to claim it.
We know that Trebor Pena is the de facto No. 1 target operating out of the slot. The rest of OC Jeff Nixon’s hand, however, has yet to be dealt.
South Carolina transfer Tyshawn Russell, who Fran said was brought in specifically because of Zeed’s decision, is a prime candidate for deep targets. Like Haynes, Russell is a Pennsylvania product with some SEC experience. His lone touchdown with the Gamecocks was on a shot to the endzone thrown, ironically, by former SU commit LaNorris Sellers.
Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
The Orange also return a fair chunk of their receivers room. Even without Oronde Gadsden and Jackson Meeks, there is quality depth to go around.
Darrell Gill had a monster game against UConn in Week 13, with 185 receiving yards on nine catches. Gill, a rising junior, also had several big chunk plays during the Holiday Bowl, and he is my personal breakout candidate for the offense
Veteran Umari Hatcher, who has experience on the outside, is still here for his senior season. Hatcher was involved early in the year but lost targets once Meeks took off.
New York native Justus Ross-Simmons didn’t make a catch until November, but his final three of the year went for 40, 32, and 23 yards, respectively.
Finally, several of the underclassmen, including Emmanuel Ross, Jaylan Hornsby, and Tight End Jamie Tremble, are also worth keeping an eye on as camp progresses.
Who rises the most up the depth chart may be linked to their chemistry with the eventual QB1. The battle between LSU transfer Rickie Collins Jr., redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams, and true freshman Luke Carney is just getting started.
We’ll keep you covered on this and all the top stories throughout spring camp.