Fran Brown picks up his first two commits out of the transfer portal this season
The Syracuse Orange have been a little quiet in the transfer portal. That’s mainly due to a large incoming recruiting class and a relatively small number of players from Syracuse entering the portal. Fran Brown and his coaching staff did pick up their first two commits out of the transfer portal on Tuesday. Alabama OL transfer Naquil Betrand and Rutgers WR Chris Long have committed to the Orange.
BREAKING: Alabama transfer OL Naquil Betrand has Committed to Syracuse, he tells @on3sports
The 6’6 320 OL will have 3 years of eligibility remaining
He transferred from Texas A&M to Alabama last yearhttps://t.co/244B0TaHJ7 pic.twitter.com/5ozTyzEpTj
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 17, 2024
Betrand was a three-star recruit coming out of Northeast High School in Philadelphia. Syracuse initially offered him out of high school before he committed to Texas A&M. Current Orange defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson was Betrand’s primary recruiter at Texas A&M. After one year with the Aggies in 2023, Betrand entered the portal. He was considering between Alabama and Syracuse before joining the Crimson Tide. Betrand didn’t play at Texas A&M. He appeared in Alabama’s season opener in 2024 but was removed from the Crimson Tide roster in early October.
#GoCuse pic.twitter.com/uML9tqJ08h
— Chris Long™️ (@Wakeemupchris) December 18, 2024
Long had 28 catches for 391 yards and two touchdowns in his career with Rutgers, all within the last three years. He has been with the Scarlet Knights for five years, only playing in 11 games during his first two seasons. A native of Willingboro, New Jersey, Long was a First Team All-New Jersey player out of high school.
Betrand and Long help solidify the program building that Syracuse is working on, especially when it comes to regionality. The Orange have often emphasized recruiting their backyard, with General Manager Nate McNeal confirming that Syracuse had signed 25 recruits from their backyard area on Early Signing Day. Betrand, from Philadelphia, and Long, from South New Jersey, fit that background profile.
Syracuse isn’t close to the numbers that Fran Brown brought in through the transfer portal last season in his first offseason. Brown and his staff secured 19 transfers through the portal. Syracuse is probably slightly delayed due to its participation in the Holiday Bowl, playing Washington State in San Diego on December 27.
The transfer portal will close on December 28, meaning players interested in transferring cannot enter their names after that until a spring session that runs from April 16 to April 25.