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Former South Dakota LB Gary Bryant III commits to Syracuse

Former South Dakota LB Gary Bryant III commits to Syracuse

Gary Bryant III significantly boosts Syracuse's linebacker room, which was depleted after Justin Barron and Marlowe Wax declared for the NFL Draft. Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor

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Gary Bryant III, an FCS All-American at South Dakota in 2024, has committed to Syracuse, he announced on social media Wednesday morning. Bryant tallied 102 tackles last season and has two years of eligibility remaining.

At 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, Bryant was unranked out of Olney, Maryland, and received no Power Four offers. He chose the Coyotes over Buffalo, UMass and Bryant, among others. After redshirting in 2022, Bryant played a small role in 2023, recording just three tackles.

A year later, he broke out for the best season of his career. The redshirt sophomore recorded two interceptions, a forced fumble and over 100 tackles, capturing all-conference honors. After entering the transfer portal, Bryant took visits to USC and West Virginia before landing with the Orange.

The linebacker joins a room that was in dire need of additions after Marlowe Wax and Justin Barron departed for the NFL. Derek McDonald and Anwar Sparrow lead the interior linebacker spots with James Heard and Antoine Deslauriers as backups. Bryant was ranked as the No. 93 linebacker in the transfer portal.

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