Syracuse’s offense is going to look different in 2026, but one thing stands out right away: Steve Angeli is being viewed as a legitimate upper-tier quarterback.
The Athletic slotted the Syracuse starter at No. 44 in its full ranking of projected starting quarterbacks across all 138 FBS teams, placing him in Tier 4. That makes Angeli the sixth-highest ranked quarterback in the ACC heading into the season.
The five ACC quarterbacks ahead of him are Miami’s Darian Mensah at No. 4, California’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele at No.
14, SMU’s Kevin Jennings at No. 15, NC State’s CJ Bailey at No. 17, and Pittsburgh’s Mason Heintschel at No.
Angeli also landed in a group with a few other notable names outside the league, including Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, Texas Tech’s Will Hammond, and Kansas State’s Avery Johnson. The Athletic described Tier 4 this way: “Some of the stars of tomorrow, like inexperienced QBs who coaches believe in but lack a proven resume, and there are also veterans who are looking to redeem themselves and journeymen looking to make the most of their last stops,”
That description fits Angeli well.
After two seasons in a limited role at Notre Dame, he transferred to Syracuse and took over as the starter. In 3.5 games last season, he completed 98 of 156 passes for 1,317 yards, 10 touchdowns, and two interceptions before a torn Achilles ended his 2025 campaign. Up to that point, he had been playing like one of the best passers in the country.
His absence changed everything for Syracuse. The Orange closed the 2025 season with eight straight losses and did not score more than 20 points in any of those games.
Looking ahead to 2026, Angeli’s return is central to Syracuse’s hopes of getting the offense back on track.
The Athletic’s rankings also offer a snapshot of what Syracuse is about to run into on the schedule. Among the quarterbacks the Orange are expected to face, California’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is ranked No.
14, Pittsburgh’s Mason Heintschel No. 23, Virginia’s Beau Pribula No.
46, Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz No. 54, North Carolina’s Billy Edwards Jr.
No. 68, Clemson’s Christopher Vizzina No.
53, NC State’s CJ Bailey No. 17, and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr No. 3.
UConn’s Jake Merklinger is listed at No. 102, while Boston College’s Mason McKenzie comes in at No. 103. New Hampshire was listed as N/A.
By The Athletic’s count, Syracuse’s 2026 schedule includes four quarterbacks ranked in the top 20 and five in the top 25, with Carr at No. 3 the highest-rated passer the Orange will see. Syracuse will also face six opponents whose quarterbacks are ranked below Angeli, though half of that group falls into the same tier as Syracuse’s starter.
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