Syracuse football’s offseason roster movement continued Saturday night, as freshman defensive lineman Quante Gillians officially announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. The Rochester, N.Y. native, a three-star recruit and the top-ranked player in New York’s 2025 class according to 247Sports, saw limited action this past season, appearing in just two games and recording one tackle. He’ll enter the portal with four full years of eligibility remaining.
Gillians made the announcement via social media, joining a growing list of Syracuse players exploring new opportunities ahead of the January transfer window.
Just two days earlier, redshirt senior wide receiver Umari Hatcher also declared his plans to enter the portal. Hatcher, who hails from Woodbridge, Va., missed nearly the entire 2025 season due to injury, suiting up for only one game. Now fully cleared, the veteran pass-catcher brings experience and production to the portal, with career totals of 52 receptions, 797 yards, and seven touchdowns.
With Gillians and Hatcher joining the exodus, Syracuse has now seen at least 23 players from its 2025 roster signal their intent to transfer or explore options elsewhere. Here's a look at the others who have entered the portal:
- Greg Delaine, redshirt junior defensive back
- Yasin Willis, sophomore running back
- Joshua Miller, redshirt sophomore offensive lineman
- James Heard, redshirt sophomore linebacker
- Jaden Hart, sophomore running back
- Luke Carney, freshman quarterback
- Ta’Ron Haile, freshman defensive back
- Carter Clark, redshirt junior offensive lineman
- Nick Armentano, redshirt sophomore wide receiver
- Jalil Martin, redshirt junior defensive back
- Fatim Diggs, redshirt freshman linebacker
- Jaylan Hornsby, redshirt freshman wide receiver
- Emanuel Ross, redshirt freshman wide receiver
- Kaylib Singleton, freshman defensive back
- Ethan Stangle, redshirt junior long snapper
- Jakhari Williams, redshirt freshman quarterback
- Caden Brown, sophomore linebacker
- Malachi James, sophomore running back/return specialist
- Ibn McDaniels, redshirt freshman defensive back
- Derek McDonald, redshirt senior linebacker
- Chase Simmons, redshirt senior defensive lineman/tight end
That’s a significant number of departures, no question. But in today’s college football landscape, this kind of turnover is becoming more common - especially in the wake of coaching changes. After a tough 2025 season, head coach Fran Brown has already begun reshaping his staff, and transitions like that often lead to roster movement as players reassess their fit in a new system.
It’s also worth noting that Syracuse isn’t starting from scratch. The Orange are bringing in their highest-ranked high school recruiting class in the modern era, a sign that Brown and his staff have been laying the groundwork for a strong future. And with the transfer portal officially opening on January 2 and running through January 16, there’s plenty of time for Syracuse to be active on the other side of the portal as well - adding experienced talent to complement the incoming freshmen.
The reality is, college football is evolving rapidly. Between NIL opportunities, revenue-sharing discussions, and the increasing fluidity of player movement, roster churn is now part of the game. For Syracuse, the key will be how effectively the staff can replace outgoing talent and continue building a roster that fits the vision of the new regime.
So while the number of outgoing players may raise some eyebrows, it’s not necessarily a red flag. In many cases, these are players who didn’t play major roles in 2025 and may be looking for a better fit elsewhere - a natural part of today’s college football ecosystem.
The next few weeks will be critical as the Orange look to restock, reload, and realign their roster heading into 2026. The pieces are moving - now it’s about how they come together.