Former Syracuse DT Kayton Samuels announces transfer to Indiana

We’d already known that Kayton Samuels would transfer out of the Syracuse Orange football program for his final year of eligibility, and now we know where he’s headed off to.

According to Samuels’s Instagram page (spotted by Syracuse.com’s Stephen Bailey). the former SU defensive tackle will be suiting up for the Indiana Hoosiers this fall. As a graduate transfer, he’ll be able to suit up right away.

Originally from Georgia (Ellenwood), Samuels started 24 games (and played in 24 overall) as a nose tackle with Syracuse. In his career, he logged 44 tackles, including 4.5 for loss. This past season he split time with McKinley Williams, while recording 12 tackles and a sack.

As part of the class of 2014, Samuels was a 2- or 3-star player, depending on who you ask. He was a Georgia State commit, before picking Syracuse over Ball State on National Signing Day.

Samuels is also the latest in a slew of defensive players from the Scott Shafer era to depart the program since the 2016 season. This offseason alone, five others have left, including Juwan Dowels (undecided), Davison Ellison (Duquesne), Troy Henderson (undecided), Cordell Hudson (Middle Tennessee), Rodney Williams (Temple). Last offseason, defenders Steven Clark (Western Michigan), Anthony Giudice (Lafayette), Chauncey Scissum (UNLV) and Corey Winfield (West Virginia) also left.

Without Samuels, Syracuse will once again be short on experience on the interior of the defensive line. Chris Slayton and the aforementioned McKinley Williams have seen the most snaps of anyone at the tackle position. Shaq Grosvenor, Kenneth Ruff, Josh Black and Curtis Harper are all options there as well, along with one-time fullback Chris Elmore, who may be making the switch back to the defensive side of the ball (where many initially considered him as a recruit).