Get to Know the Opponent: Syracuse Players Tennessee Fans Need to Know

A list of Syracuse football players Tennessee fans need to know about ahead of Saturday.

The Tennessee Volunteers are just a few days out from kicking off their 2025 season in Atlanta, GA,, against the Syracuse Orange. This game will consist of two teams that aren't very familiar with one another, so with that said, here are a few Syracuse players Tennessee fans need to know about heading into Saturday.

Darrell Gill Jr., WR

Gill Jr. was a productive wideout for the Orange last season. Despite Jackson Meeks going for over 1,000 yards and Trebor Peña knocking on the door of the century mark as well, Gill Jr. posted 31 receptions for 570 yards and two touchdowns. He also averaged 18.4 yards per reception. An explosive playmaker that Tennessee needs to be mindful of heading into Saturday's matchup.

Duce Chestnut, DB

Chestnut played in 13 games and started in 11 for Syracuse last season at safety. He racked up 62 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and five pass breakups. He is projected to be the starting strong safety for the Orange this season. Chestnut started his career at Syracuse, transferred to LSU for a season and then transferred back to Syracuse in 2024.

Chris Peal, CB

Peal started his career at the University of Georgia, where Fran Brown recruited him when he was the defensive backs coach for the Bulldogs. Peal was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and was a top-200 player in the country, according to composite rankings. He hasn't seen the field much at this point in his career, but it's worth noting that Coach Brown has an SEC-caliber player on his starting lineup heading into this season.

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