2026 Syracuse Football Preview: Defensive Line

The 2025 season was certainly one to forget for Syracuse football, especially for the SU defensive line. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF) final reports for the 2025 season, the Syracuse defense finished ranked last in the ACC in run defense and second-to-last in total pass rush.

Not only did the Orange allow almost 35 points per game, but the front unit was also unable to generate any pressure on opposing quarterbacks. SU generated just 20 total sacks the entire season, less than half of the national leaders.

On top of that, other ACC opponents ran all over the Orange with consistency, finishing outside the top-100 nationally with 175 rushing yards allowed per game. Because the defensive line couldn't effectively control the interior gaps, Syracuse also surrendered the second-most rushing totals in the ACC.

So, with that, a rough 2025 campaign leaves a lot of question marks heading into 2026, with a bunch of new faces on the defensive line. But with the returning talent and other transfers added this past offseason, there are already signs pointing in the right direction for SU to respond this season on the defensive line.

“We’re already better at pass rushing,” coach Fran Brown said. “I wouldn’t say that the guys last year couldn’t, but I think the scheme is more suitable to rush the passer now.”

The Transfers

The Syracuse defensive line added several transfers after losing Dion Wilson Jr, who led all Syracuse defensive linemen during the 2025 season with an overall PFF grade of 69.3, as well as Kevin Jobity Jr, who emerged as the unit's top pure pass rusher with a 65.3 overall grade.

Those two pieces, as well as David Reese, would eventually sign deals after the NFL draft to move on to the next level. So, that begs the question. Where will Syracuse get its production from this year?

To start off, the Orange added some serious size and experience in the middle with Tunmese Adaleye, a 6-4, 275-pound redshirt senior who transferred in from UNLV. Adaleye was an All-Mountain West Honorable Mention last year with the Rebels, where he notched career highs in sacks with 6.0 as well as 7.5 tackles for loss. The redshirt senior has years of experience with stops at Texas A&M, Texas State and Michigan State while appearing in 29 games across his collegiate career.

Another notable addition from the portal is Dillon Fontus, a 6-6, 292-pound senior who transferred to SU from Maryland this past January. Fontus is another player with experience who has played in 36 games across three seasons with the Terrapins. The senior has also registered 41 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss throughout his time in College Park.

Rounding out the transfers is Jartavious Flounoy, a 6-1, 325-pound sophomore who also transferred to SU in January after spending just one season at Georgia State. While Flounoy is not expected to start in his second year of collegiate football, he has the opportunity to have a major impact off the bench. As a true freshman, Flounoy led Georgia State in sacks with 3.0 last season, as well as finishing 2nd on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss.

So with the new additions to this year’s squad, it’s clear how important their impact is going to be to try and reverse the tide on defense.

“If you really want to have a championship-level team you need to have a good offensive line and defensive line,” said coach John Scott Jr. “They’re gonna make the university proud, and that’s our goal.”

The Returners

In terms of returning talent for SU, the defensive line has a lot of potential but it also needs other pieces to step up.

One of the major pieces coming back for the Orange is senior Rashard Perry. The 6-3, 295-pound senior is one of the lone remaining starters for this group from last season and will be trusted to step up in a big way. When he has been on the field, Perry has shown the potential to be a game changer on the interior.

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“I think Rashard Perry played the most out of anyone coming back…so we’re going to need him to help us stop the run. He’s a really explosive and physical guy,” coach Scott added.

The Buffalo, New York native has appeared in 26 games in 4 years while registering 22 tackles, a forced fumble, and two sacks. Last season, Perry did appear in the first five games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury. But expect the senior to be a leader on the defensive line this upcoming season for Syracuse.

Another player coming back who should see the field a lot and make an impact is redshirt senior Isaiah Hastings. The 6-4, 320-pound defensive tackle is ready to build on a season last year where Hastings appeared in every game, but managed just 7 tackles on the season.

The redshirt junior started off at Alabama before transferring to Syracuse in January of 2024. Hastings does have a lot of experience in an Orange uniform and has appeared in 25 games while making 12 total tackles throughout his tenure in the 315.

Another returner who will also have to step up for the Orange is Nathan Nyandoro. Despite being just a redshirt freshman, the 6-6, 270-pound defensive end showed some promise in 2025 after playing in just six regular-season games.

Nyandoro was once a top-ranked prospect in Quebec and made the most of his opportunities as an underclassman last season, registering nine tackles and a tackle for loss against Boston College.

Finally, one more player to round out the notable returners for the Syracuse defensive line is Nissi Ogbebor, a 6-6, 300-pound defensive tackle coming back for his sophomore season in Orange. Despite not having tons of opportunities last season, Ogbebor appeared in seven games and made five tackles. The sophomore will probably be limited in terms of playing this season as well, but he’ll be a solid depth piece for Syracuse to utilize if needed down the stretch of the regular season.

Even though not everyone will be able to have an immediate impact on the defensive line. The players are starting to understand that they simply have to play their role and perform it well.

“My mantra is '11 as one' when it comes to defense,” new defensive coordinator Vince Kehres said. “I really believe in that, and I want our players to believe in that.”

The Coaches

On the coaching side of things, Syracuse changed up some of its personnel to try and have better results on the defensive side of the ball as opposed to last season. Fran Brown is coming back for his third year as head coach, but SU has a new defensive coordinator in Vince Kehres, as well as John Scott Jr., who will work primarily with the defensive line.

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Kehres led one of the nation's top-ranked defenses in 2025 and came to Syracuse after spending the past six seasons at Toledo. This past year, the Rockets were near the top of the country in nearly every defensive category.

John Scott Jr, on the other hand, is a veteran defensive line coach with NFL and Power 4 experience and just joined the Syracuse staff in January. Scott comes to the Orange with 25 years of coaching experience across the nation with the Detroit Lions and New York Jets. On top of that, Scott has spent some time at the collegiate level with stints at Penn State, Clemson, South Carolina, Arkansas and Texas Tech.

"I'm thrilled to be at Syracuse University," Scott said. "This is a tremendous opportunity to come to a place where they have great tradition and pride. This program has a history of winning, so I'm very thankful for the opportunity to work with these coaches and young men.”

Overall, the group has a lot to improve on after a lackluster 2025 season, but the pieces are in place to make some important changes. The defensive line added some depth with experience, especially in the middle. The new coaching staff surrounding this group will try to stop the run and generate pressure up the middle to improve on last year’s problems.

Syracuse opens its season on Saturday, September 5 against New Hampshire.