Syracuse DL Quante Gillians to Enter Transfer Portal, Marking Another Departure in Roster Overhaul
The roster shuffle continues in Syracuse, and this time it’s defensive lineman Quante Gillians making headlines. The former Aquinas Institute standout announced Saturday that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, opening the door to continue his college football career elsewhere - with four full years of eligibility still on the table.
Gillians, once a top in-state recruit and the No. 4 overall prospect from New York in the Class of 2025, becomes the 23rd player from last season’s Syracuse roster to signal an intent to transfer. That number speaks volumes about the level of transition underway on The Hill, especially along the defensive front.
At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, Gillians arrived at Syracuse with a solid recruiting pedigree. He was ranked No. 686 nationally in the 247Sports composite and held offers from a number of Power Five programs, including Michigan, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, and Minnesota.
Ultimately, he chose the Orange over Michigan, citing a strong relationship with then-defensive line coach Nick Williams - a connection that played a pivotal role in his commitment. Williams has since moved on to Florida State, and that departure may have played a part in Gillians’ decision to explore other options.
Gillians saw limited action during his freshman season, logging 27 total snaps across four games - 22 on defense and five more on special teams. He primarily lined up at defensive end but didn’t get enough reps to make a significant impact. In fact, Pro Football Focus graded him as the lowest-rated defensive player among the 53 who saw time for Syracuse in 2025 - a reminder of how steep the learning curve can be for young linemen trying to adapt to the college game.
Still, his raw tools and high school résumé suggest there’s plenty of potential left to tap. With four years of eligibility remaining, Gillians becomes a developmental prospect with upside for programs looking to bolster their defensive line depth.
His exit also underscores the scale of Syracuse’s defensive rebuild. The Orange have already lost their top four contributors along the defensive line - David Reese, Kevin Jobity Jr., Dion Wilson, and Denis Jaquez Jr.
That group accounted for the lion’s share of snaps in the trenches, and replacing that experience won’t be easy. Gillians, once thought to be part of the next wave, now appears unlikely to be involved in that process.
Among the in-state recruits in 2025, Gillians ranked behind only Penn State’s Lyrick Samuel, Clemson’s Rowan Byrne, and fellow Syracuse signee Darien Williams. Head coach Fran Brown’s ability to land Gillians was viewed as a recruiting win at the time, especially given the stiff competition from Michigan.
As for the bigger picture, Syracuse’s portal activity this offseason has been significant, but not all exits are created equal. Of the 23 players who’ve announced plans to transfer, only one - running back Yasin Willis - was a full-time starter last season.
Willis is currently ranked by On3 as the No. 13 running back and the No. 133 overall player available in the portal. Cornerback Kaylib Singleton follows him as SU’s next highest-rated departure.
The transfer portal officially opens on January 2, but players are allowed to announce their intentions at any time - and they can still return to their original programs if both parties agree. For now, though, it looks like Quante Gillians will be taking his talents elsewhere, joining a growing list of Orange players charting a new course in 2026.