Syracuse DL Chase Simmons to enter transfer portal
Chase Simmons, who announced he'll transfer from Syracuse Tuesday, recorded 41 tackles in four seasons with the Orange. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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Syracuse defensive lineman Chase Simmons will enter the transfer portal, he announced on social media Tuesday. Simmons spent four seasons with the Orange and has one year of eligibility remaining.
Simmons played in just six games this season after appearing in 21 across 2023 and 2024. This year, the redshirt senior recorded 0.5 sacks and seven tackles, including a career-high 3.5 for a loss. Simmons was mostly a rotation piece for the Orange in 2025, registering 93 snaps according to Pro Football Focus. He was SU’s ninth-highest rated player on defense with a 66.1 defensive grade.
Last season, Simmons recorded a career-high 19 tackles, but his production waned in Fran Brown’s second season. Simmons was a member of SU’s 2021 recruiting class under former head coach Dino Babers. Per 247Sports, he was a three-star recruit out of Little River, South Carolina.
Throughout this season, Syracuse’s defense was leaky and struggled to generate a consistent pass rush. The Orange demoted former defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson to defensive line coach, but Robinson appears to be leaving the program, with LSU and Nebraska reportedly pursuing him. Simmons is likely one of many defensive players to depart, joining Derek McDonald, who announced he’d enter the portal on Tuesday as well.
