Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 66-3vs New Hampshire | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 18-21vs California | 5 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#1
Demetres Samuel Jr.
Sophomore defensive back on Syracuse's 2026 roster.
6′1″ · 195 lb · Palm Bay, FL · Heritage
CFB Index 61 · #124 of 364 cornersLow confidenceReturning to Syracuse for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
4★
S recruit
No. 244 nationally · Signed with Syracuse
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 defensive back on Syracuse's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Syracuse in 2025.
Demetres Samuel Jr.
Erases the deep middle of the field. Second year in the Syracuse secondary, same address the whole way. The receipt on tape: 5 tackles, 2 rush yds against California, Week 2, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
202511 games
- Signed with Syracuse4-star out of Heritage
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Syracuse
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Fran Brown — 4-10 over that span.
2025Syracuse3-9HC: Fran Brown · Balanced
2026Syracuse1-1HC: Fran Brown · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Fran Brown
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #19 of 75 ACC DBs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 66–3
2 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 NO
Dominant 63-point win at home against New Hampshire.
With S. Angeli — 263 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · -14 rush yds (3 car) · U. Hatcher — 11 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Syracuse
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Syracuse
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -10 net (19 in / 29 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Syracuse · Last season: 3-9 · Talent rank #35 · 2026 recruiting class #35
DNA match
Player DNA
Centerfielder
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Deonte Banks’s 2022 season.
79%match
NFL Rd 1 · Pk 25
Matches Deonte on
Tackle volume
Interceptions
TFL rate
Differs from Deonte on
Height (lower)
Weight (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to E'zaiah Shine's freshman season at Tulane (2025).
88%match
Matches E'zaiah on
Class year
Tackle volume
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Demetres Samuel Jr.
Background
Freshman Year (2025): Finished fourth in ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after breakout freshman campaign ... Named one of ESPN.com's top-20 freshmen in the country ... Shaun Alexander Award Freshman of the Year Award semifinalist ... Had the third-most pass breakups (9) of any true fresh...
The secondary · Syracuse
- Braheem Long Jr.42 tackles · 2025
- #12Chris Peal39 tackles · 2025
- #19Cornell Perry37 tackles · 2025
- #1Demetres Samuel Jr.37 tackles · 2025
- #7Nazir Ward35 tackles · 2025
17 more on the roster · Syracuse team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology