Syracuse’s 2026 tight end room is built around one big question: how does the Orange replace the versatility Dan Villari brought to the offense?
The short answer is that it may take more than one player. Syracuse heads into the season with Daunte Bacheyie, Carter Bashir, David Clement, Noah Meyers and Elijah Washington-Baker listed at tight end, and the group looks like a mix of different tools rather than a clean one-for-one replacement.
Clement brings the most experience of the bunch, and he has already carved out a role mostly as a blocker. Even so, his frame gives him the kind of red zone upside that can’t be ignored.
The question is whether Syracuse asks him to do more as a route runner this fall. He looks like a candidate to start some games, but not someone who should suddenly become a major target.
Meyers is the clearest receiving threat in the room. At Western Kentucky last season, he caught 32 passes for 357 yards, and when he arrived in Syracuse, the expectation was that he would step into a significant role in the passing game.
Camp reports have suggested his run blocking may have kept him behind Clement for now, but the Orange’s issues at wide receiver in camp could change the picture fast. Meyers looks set to matter in the passing attack, and he could become a favorite target for Angeli.
Washington-Baker may be the most balanced option Syracuse has at the position. He came in known as a major athlete, and as he’s gotten more comfortable on offense, he has a chance to push for more snaps. His value comes from the fact that he can help in both the blocking game and as a receiver.
Then there’s Bacheyie, who physically resembles Oronde Gadsden more than anyone else in the group. He brings height and speed, and Syracuse will likely use him more like a wide receiver than a traditional tight end.
That said, he could grow into another red zone weapon for the offense. For now, he looks like a player to keep an eye on in 2027 as he develops more as a blocker.
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Syracuse Is Bringing A Program Legend Back At The Perfect Time
Syracuses training camp will get a familiar boost later this week when Fran Brown said Dwight Freeney will be around for a practice session as the Orange continue getting ready for their season opener against New Hampshire. It is the kind of reminder that still carries weight in this program, because Freeneys name means a lot in Syracuse, where he starred before building a decorated NFL career.
The timing makes sense, too, with Brown trying to sharpen the roster in the final stretch before game week. Freeney has remained connected to the program over the years, from having his jersey retired to showing up for a coaching clinic, so his return to the field fits into a long-running relationship with Syracuse. The bigger question is what kind of impact his presence will have on a team that is trying to make its last camp reps count. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Could Get Pulled Deeper Into A New Ross-Simmons Fight
The transfer and draft landscape around college football may be shifting again, and Syracuse has a direct stake in it because of Justus Ross-Simmons. The wide receiver was initially ruled eligible to return, a development that mattered for a team trying to manage its roster and keep experienced depth in place, but that status changed after an NCAA stay. Now the broader conference conversation is starting to move in the same direction as the Big Ten, which has already passed legislation preventing professional football players from coming back to college.
The ACC is reportedly weighing similar rules, and if that happens it could drag Syracuse further into the middle of the Ross-Simmons situation rather than settling it. The conference is looking at language that would make players who declared for the NFL Draft or signed pro contracts ineligible to return, a framework that would only sharpen the uncertainty around cases like this one. For Syracuse, the issue is no longer just about one players path, but about how quickly the rules around that path may harden around the sport. [Read more 🡒]
Fran Brown Settled Syracuse's QB Race But One Orange Question Remains
Fran Brown has taken one big item off Syracuses offseason checklist by naming Steve Angeli the starter for the 2026 season opener. Browns confidence in Angeli has been clear, and the coach pointed to the quarterbacks leadership and detailed approach as signs the Orange have a steady hand leading the offense after Angeli worked his way back from an Achilles tendon injury.
Justus Ross-Simmons, meanwhile, remains part of the larger conversation around Syracuses roster as Brown addressed the wide receivers eligibility situation and voiced support for him while he continues working toward his degree. With the quarterback decision settled, the attention now shifts to how the rest of the offense comes together, and whether the Orange can get one more key piece sorted before camp arrives. [Read more 🡒]