Former Rutgers wide receiver Chris Long made a significant announcement on Thursday night. He committed to transfer to Syracuse football, becoming the second player to do so this offseason. Syracuse has seen a notable number of players leave since the end of the season, with projected starting cornerbacks Jayden Bellamy and Marcellus Barnes among those who have announced their intentions to transfer. However, the Orange has also added some key commitments, including Long and Alabama offensive lineman Naquil Betrand.

Chris Long's Collegiate Career Highlights

Last season with Rutgers, Long had 11 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown. His best season came in 2022 as a sophomore when he caught 15 passes for 163 yards. Despite facing injuries throughout his career, he still has one season of college eligibility remaining. He was listed by Rutgers last year as 6-foot and 177 pounds.Long entered college in 2020 and was ranked by the 247 Sports composite as a four-star recruit. He was the No. 8 prospect in New Jersey and the No. 708 prospect in the country. During his recruitment, he received offers from a list of schools including West Virginia, Louisville, Baylor, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and others.He played high school football at Willingboro (New Jersey) High School, and his primary recruiter when he joined Rutgers was current Syracuse coach Fran Brown.

Impact on Syracuse's Wide Receiver Room

Long will bring a veteran option to the Syracuse wide receiver room. The room is set to lose its most productive outside receiver, Jackson Meeks, and is now looking to identify starters at both outside spots. Many players flashed potential last season at this position, such as Yazeed Haynes, Justus Ross-Simmons, Darrell Gill Jr., Umari Hatcher, and Emanuel Ross. Inside receiver Trebor Pena also still has a year of college eligibility remaining.

Syracuse's Transfer Success

Syracuse was one of the most successful teams in the country at elevating its talent via transfer last year. Despite losing 28 players, they added 18, and many of these transfers played key roles in the team's 9-3 regular-season. This transfer strategy has been crucial in maintaining the team's competitiveness.Fans can stream Syracuse football all season on fuboTV and get cheap tickets to see the Orange from SeatGeek. Fanatics also has a full collection of Syracuse Orange gear available for online shopping.Contact Chris Carlson anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-382-7932>> Subscriber perk: Sign up for our exclusive Syracuse Sports newsletter from Brent Axe. Not a subscriber? Try the newsletter for free