It’s been a while, too long actually, but Syracuse Orange football is once again a relevant part of the NFL Draft. Doug Marrone may have left to become the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, but over the last four years he did manage to cultivate a program that is once again producing players that are fit to either play for him or play against him in the NFL.
Part of the rebuilding process that was started under Marrone isn’t just about wining games and earning bowl bids, it’s also about developing players that can go to the NFL, and make an impact once they get there. Hearing the “Syracuse” name called out on draft day helps recruiting, helps develop the Syracuse brand, and will help carry the program even further than it’s gone over the past four years.
The resurgence of Orange players in the NFL started last year when Chandler Jones was a first round pick of the New England Patriots. Not only did Jones gain notoriety for himself and the Syracuse football program for being a first round pick, but he was one of the best defensive rookies in the NFL last season, and should become an impact player in the league for a long time to come.
Over the weekend, Syracuse had a player selected in the first round for the second consecutive year, as the New York Giants drafted offensive lineman Justin Pugh. Syracuse hadn’t had players drafted in the first round in back-to-back years since 1998 and 1999, which was the tail end of the Donovan McNabb era, one of the best periods in Syracuse football history. Having first round picks in back-to-back years is a good omen for the program and should be a sign of great things to come for Syracuse football, as the program hopes to regain the national stature and relevance it held in the late 90’s.
Of course, the drafting of Syracuse players didn’t stop in the first round this year. Both quarterback Ryan Nassib and safety Shamarko Thomas were drafted on back-to-back picks in the fourth round, with Nassib also going to the Giants and Thomas being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unlike most of Syracuse’s draft picks in the past decade, who have been taken in the late rounds, both Nassib and Thomas are near locks to be on their team’s roster this season and have a realistic chance to carve out a long and substantial NFL career for themselves.
The drafting of Nassib is particularly meaningful. Although he dropped to the fourth round when some considered him to be a possible first or second round pick, he is the first Syracuse quarterback to get drafted since McNabb, and because he plays such a high profile position his selection is nearly as important to the program as if he were a first round pick. If Nassib can end up having even a fraction of the NFL success McNabb had, he can do just as much good for the Syracuse program while in the NFL as he did during his playing days.
The Syracuse players that were selected in the NFL Draft obviously won’t be helping the Orange win games this fall, but they’ve left their mark on the program and their presence in the NFL will help the reputation of Syracuse football going forward. Not only is last year’s 8-5 record a sign of the program improving, but having back-to-back years with a first round draft pick and three players picked in the first four rounds of this year’s draft, including a quarterback, are also signs that Syracuse football is on the right path and swiftly moving towards better days.