Syracuse Places Nine on Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Team

Led by first team selections Sean Tucker and Mikel Jones, nine Syracuse stars were named to Phil Steele’s Preseason All-ACC Team in this year’s magazine.

Tucker (first team/RB) and Matthew Bergeron (fourth team/OT) comprise ‘Cuse’s offensive selections, with Jones (first team/LB), Garrett Williams (second team/CB), Duce Chestnut (third team/CB) and Stefon Thompson (fourth team/LB) anchoring the SU defense. Andre Szmyt (PK) earned fourth team specialist nods, while Trebor Pena was honored as the second team’s kick returner, and Courtney Jackson made the fourth team as a punt returner.

Tucker and Jones were also selected as preseason All-Americans by Steele. The Orange’s four selections on his All-ACC defense tie for the fourth-most in the conference. As a whole, Syracuse’s nine total selections ties Wake Forest and North Carolina for the sixth-most honorees.

Tucker – who was a first or second team All-American last year from all-but-one of the All-American teams that comprise the consensus All-America team in 2021 – returns after shattering the program’s all-time rushing record. His 1,496 rushing yards broke a 42-year-old record, held by Joe Morris, to now sit atop the SU leaderboard. A semifinalist for the Maxwell and Doak Walker Awards, Tucker finished 2021 with the fourth-most rushing yards per game (124.7), fifth-most all-purpose yards per game (145.9) and was the top offensive vote getter on the All-ACC team.

Jones, the captain of the ‘Cuse defense, earned First Team All-ACC accolades in 2021 and was also on the Butkus Award Watch List. His 110 tackles was second in the conference and his 60 solo stops was the league’s best. According to ESPN Advanced Stats, he was also the league’s third-best tackler at 92.9 percent. Jones was also selected to the PFF and AP All-ACC teams.

Bergeron was the lone offensive lineman to start every game at the same position last year for Syracuse, proving to be a consistent force for a unit that paved the way for the fifth-highest rushing total in program history in 2021. An All-ACC Honorable Mention selection last year, the Orange averaged over four yards per carry off the left tackle, which was the highest among left tackles in the ACC last season, according to ESPN Advanced Stats.

Williams, a freshman All-American in 2020, has led the ACC in pass breakups in back-to-back seasons. He also led all Orange DBs with 52 tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss last season, despite missing two games with an injury. He enters his third year as a starting corner ranked 11th in program history with 20 pass breakups.

Chestnut looks to follow a strong rookie campaign that saw him finish second in ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year Voting and was named a Freshman All-American by ESPN, PFF and 247 Sports in 2021. He started all-12 games at corner and was second in the league with 11 passes defended, en route to earning Third Team All-ACC honors.

Thompson is heading into his third year starting for the Orange. A Freshman All-American in 2020, Thompson was second on the Orange with 6.0 sacks last year, and fourth in tackles for loss (8.0) behind First Team All-ACC defensive end Cody Roscoe (12.5), and fellow linebackers Mikel Jones (13.0) and Marlowe Wax (9.0). The entirety of the Orange linebacking corps returns for 2022, making it one of the most formidable units in the country.

Szmyt, the Orange’s all-time leading scorer and 2018 Lou Groza Award winner, looks to improve upon his record-braking career at Syracuse in his final season. At over 82-percent, he’s the most accurate kicker in program history.

Pena has proved dangerous in the return game. Though just two seasons, Pena’s 26.91 average yards per return rank fourth in program history behind three program greats – Jim Brown, Kevin Johnson and Floyd Little.

Jackson, who was also the Orange’s leading receiver from a year ago, filled in for an injured Pena and immediately took a punt return to the house against Boston College.

Tucker and Jones will lead one of the most experienced teams in recent memory, as the Orange return 17-of-22 starters from a year ago. Season tickets – which start at just $99 – for one of the most anticipated home schedules in recent memory are on sale now! Visit Cuse.com/Tickets or call 888-DOME-TIX to be part of the action. Group Tickets are also on sale, visit Cuse.com/Groups for more information.
 

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