Syracuse freshmen 2025: Top 5 football players in Fran Brown's program ft. Demetres Samuel Jr.

First-year coach Fran Brown galvanized Syracuse last season, leading the Orange to their second 10-win season since 2002. The team won the Holiday Bowl and finished No. 21 in the College Football Playoff rankings, so things are trending up for the gridiron program in upstate New York.

For their upward tick to continue, however, Brown will need to stack solid recruiting classes on top of one another, and he's started doing so with this year's group.

The Orange's collection of freshmen ranks No. 60 in the nation. Here are five additions that Brown, a coaching disciple of Matt Rhule's, hopes will help the team continue to rise.

Syracuse freshmen 2025

Demetres Samuel Jr., S

A four-star safety, Samuel reclassified so he could join Syracuse quicker, and 247Sports' Andrew Ivins said he believes the young defensive back's future will probably be as a rangy safety.

"Testing profile is full of green numbers as he has gone 4.65 on the laser in the 40-yard dash and owns a 4.4 effort in the short shuttle," Ivins wrote last year. "Should be viewed as a developmental defender with a promising set of tools. ... Showed time and time again on the offseason camp circuit that he's not afraid to compete in coverage."

Samuel also had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami and Texas A&M.

Quante Gillians, ATH

Gillians, a Rochester, N.Y., native, had to wait to get his offer from Syracuse. Before the Orange extended a scholarship, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, SMU and Michigan State had all done so.

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Gillians, a three-star pledge, was the No. 4 overall prospect in the Empire State.

Daunte Bacheyie, TE

Bacheyie, another top 10 New York recruit, attended Syracuse's Christian Brothers Academy. He also had offers from Boston College, Buffalo, Fordham and Pitt.

Jaylen Pray, ATH

Pray grew up with dreams of starring on the basketball court. It was an Orange hoops legend — Carmelo Anthony — who helped convince him to join the football team at his alma mater.

The No. 10 prospect in the class from Connecticut, Pray will strive to be a crucial cog on the offensive line as he bulks up. He stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 265 pounds.

Darien Williams, WR

As a teammate of Bacheyie's at Christian Brothers Academy, Williams earned a three-star ranking by 247Sports. That same recruiting service's composite rankings tab him as the No. 3 player in New York in his crop.

Williams also collected offers from Boston College, Colorado, Penn State and Pittsburgh.