The NFL Adds More Tints of Orange

By Darius Joshua

Photo Courtesy of Jason Rostkowski

The phrase ‘Back to Football’ has been on NFL Network all week. That phrase means a lot to five orange players who went undrafted in April. Former SU players Mike Holmes, Derrell Smith, Ryan Bartholomew, Andrew Lewis and Da’Mon Merkerson signed contracts with the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona Cardinals, respectively.

They joined former Orange players Doug Hogue and Delone Carter in the NFL. Hogue was drafted to the Detroit Lions and Carter was drafted to the Indianapolis Colts.

The terms and lengths of contracts for Smith and Bartholomew have not been reported yet. Carter and Hogue have come to agreements with their teams on four-year contracts. The terms of their contracts haven't been disclosed yet.

Mike Holmes proved himself for the Orange during the 2010 season. As a punt returner, he averaged over 10 yards per attempt and on defense he was no slouch either. His 271 career tackles puts him fifth in ‘Cuse history for most tackles by a defensive back.

The 2010 defensive captain Smith made his mark while at SU as well. He had 114 tackles last season. He is ranked 10th in the SU record books for his career 24.5 tackles for a loss.

Bartholomew, a Maryland native, was part of the 2010 offensive line that opened the holes for Carter on his way to 1,260 yards. That same O-line was second in the Big East for converting on chances in the Red Zone.

Lewis finished his career with 61 tackles, 28 of them coming in his senior season. Merkerson lead the team in interceptions last year and finished his career with 63 tackles, 42 of which were solo after making the switch to DB in 2009.

Now that Carter signed his contract, there are seven players in the NFL from last years Syracuse football team.

Can Rob Long make it eight?

Former SU Stars Have Big Weekend Ahead

By Darius Joshua 

Syracuse football greats such as Art Monk, Donovan McNabb, Jim Brown and Jim Ringo successfully transitioned from University Hill to NFL gridirons. Now, it's time for other Orange greats to make their mark in the NFL. Four former Orange football players could be selected this weekend at the NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall - Delone Carter, Ryan Bartholomew, Doug Hogue, and Derrell Smith. 

The four players were invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana to display their talents in front of many scouts. It was their chance to prove that they belong in the NFL. Here is a look at how they faired and where they stand on draft boards today.

Running back Delone Carter is favored to be drafted first among the SU players. Carter rushed for 1233 yards and scored 9 touchdowns in his last season in Syracuse and was named Pinstripe Bowl MVP after his 198 yard, 2 TD performance. He performed well at the combine and his draft stock reflects that. Most scouts have him being selected in the third or fourth round.

Center Ryan Bartholomew also had a very good combine. He benched more than any offensive lineman at the event, as he put up 34 reps. Bartholomew showed serious speed, running the 40 yard dash in only 4.97 seconds, second among all offensive linemen. With his performance at the combine, it appears that Bartholomew will be selected late on the second day of the draft. 

Linebackers Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith led the Orange defense in their senior seasons. Hogue finished the season with 60 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 interceptions while Smith tallied 72 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception.  However, they struggled to impress scouts during their combine workouts. Hogue has a better chance than Smith to make it in the league due to his elite athleticism. It is also possible that Hogue is converted to a different position, if an NFL team sees that potential in him. It appears that both of these former SU linebackers will be chosen on the third day, if it all drafted.