Syracuse Defense Gets Preseason Spotlight

Syracuse’s defense is stealing the spotlight before kickoff, with three Orange defenders landing on Phil Steele’s pre-season All-ACC teams — a rare shift from the usual offensive buzz. Cornerback Chris Peal headlines the second team, already drawing NFL draft attention and poised to anchor a shutdown secondary with Demetres Samuel. Linebacker Chris D’Appolonia, a Toledo transfer familiar with the defensive scheme, joins the third team, while freshman Antoine Deslauriers earns a fourth-team spot after a breakout debut. While Steele still sees Miami as ACC favorites and Syracuse as a non-bowl contender, this defensive surge could be the surprise weapon Coach Fran Brown needs to turn heads this fall. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6c8fe6525ca59169