Week 1: Syracuse players on the 2024 NFL Draft radar
College football has finally arrived. While the Orange predictably rolled over FCS Colgate, 65-0, in their opening matchup, it was still the first time we got to see a number of Syracuse players with legitimate NFL draft prospects back in action.
Dino Babers' programs has a really good track record of sending a couple players to the league every year. Andre Cisco, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Chris Slayton, Zaire Franklin, Kingsley Jonathan, Mikel Jones, Sean Tucker, Trill Williams, Trishton Jackson, Nolan Cooney and Alton Robinson will be joined by Garrett Williams and Matthew Bergeron in the league this season.
All of them played under Babers for at least one season. There are a few players who have a legitimate shot at making the jump again this year.
Here is how each player performed during Week 1:
Let's start with the biggest name on the list this year. Gasdsen is a matchup nightmare as a former receiver that now plays tight end. He is a big body at 6'5", 223 lbs. He racked up nearly 1,000 yards receiving and six touchdowns, often times operating as Garrett Shrader's security blanket. It helps as well that he has NFL pedigree, with his father playing 74 games in the NFL. He will still have to add a bit more to his frame, even if he is going to be used primarily as a receiver. If he can deliver another season like the one he had in 2022, there is a chance that Gasdsen works his way into the Day 2 conversation of the 2024 NFL draft.
Stat Line: 6 receptions, 57 yards, 1 TD
The NFL has fully committed to mobile quarterbacks. Shrader is not quite the prototype for the modern passer in the league. He is capable of getting it done with his arm, but presents an even bigger threat with his legs. The fifth-year senior earned the starting job four games into the 2021 season after transferring from Mississippi State and he has not looked back.
He took a massive jump as a passer in 2022, completing 64.7 percent of his passes and throwing for 2,640 yards. For as much as he improved, there are still some major questions about his ability to play at the next level. He disappeared against Notre Dame and Florida State this past season. He will need to elevate his game and perform against the top tier teams if he hopes to have any shot of reaching the NFL.
Stat Line: 18-24 completion/attemps, 257 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
For NFL teams that value experience at the collegiate level, Wax brings that in spades. He has appeared in all 36 games the Orange have played in since arriving on campus, including 25 straight starts. He is a disruptive difference maker on the defensive side of the ball. He has 25 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks so far in his career.
He is a bit undersized, at 6'1", 230 lbs, but he is well within the range for NFL linebackers. Wax flies off the edge at 100 miles per hour and has a nose for the football. If he can increase his production as a pass rusher, he will push his way up draft boards and put himself solidly in the Day 3 conversation.
Stat Line: 6 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL
Thompson might not be on the draft radar right now, but he will be if he can recapture his 2021 form. Poised for a monster 2022 season, Thompson suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the year against Louisville.
Stat Line: 4 tackles, .5 sacks, .5 TFL
----
Chat about this story and all things Syracuse and Syracuse recruiting on our premium message board, Cuse Classified!
Follow us on Twitter @TheJuiceOnline, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram @SUJuiceOnline and listen to our podcast.
Tips/questions/concerns? E-mail Recruiting Analyst Charles Kang here.
Not a subscriber to The Juice Online? Join today for access to all our premium content and message board community.