Two-way players in college football isn’t a new concept. Prior to the stardom of Travis Hunter, college football has been littered with elite athletes who played both sides of the ball. Yet what makes these players special isn’t their ability to play both offense and defense. Instead, it’s the level at which they play multiple positions on each end of the field. Talent captivates audiences; and at the moment, it’s hard to find a player with more superstar potential than Syracuse Orange freshman Demetres Samuel Jr.
Demetres Samuel Jr. and the flip back to Syracuse
The Syracuse Orange enter this season ranked No. 41 for the 2025 recruiting class. A big reason for that was the arrival of Samuel. Originally committing to Syracuse, Samuel flipped his commitment to the Florida Gators. That is, until he flipped back to Syracuse on September 29 before ultimately signing to play under head coach Fran Brown on December 4.
Once ink hit paper, Samuel became Syracuse’s top recruit for the 2025 class. Yet, what makes the Heritage high school product fascinating is his age.
Reclassifying from 2026 to 2025, Samuel entered spring ball for the Orange at just 16 years old. To add to the intrigue, he was playing both cornerback and wide receiver.
That isn’t new to Samuel, though. Like most star high school athletes, Demetres found himself playing both sides of the ball, as well as his team’s returner. And he drew rave reviews from scouts for his play.
247’s national scout Greg Biggins described Samuel as a, “Talented two-way player at receiver and corner and also a dangerous return man. Strong 6-0, 190 pound frame with plenty of length. Has the positional versatility to play multiple spots in the secondary. Runs well enough to play corner, has the range, physicality and ball skills to move to safety. Is smooth in his backpedal and has really good ball awareness to go with the ball skills. Real fluid athlete and does a nice job playing the football in the air. Attacks the football and has the ball hawk mentality DB coaches covet. Really nice ceiling and projects as a high major Power 4 prospect with an NFL upside.”
Meanwhile, the company’s director of scouting, Andrew Ivins, also lauded athleticism of Samuel.
“[Samuel] did most of his damage on Friday nights as a wide receiver and a return man, but advanced instincts allow him to make plays in coverage as he isn’t afraid to take risks and jump routes.”
If the high praise isn’t enough, the highlights alone are enough to convince any non-believer.
Yet while many collegiate athletes’ stars first start to shine in high school, that’s not always the case at the next level. So what makes Samuel capable of reaching superstardom at the level college football fans just saw with Travis Hunter?
Freshman breakout incoming?
As the youngest player in college football right now, Samuel has already been named as one of Syracuse’s starting cornerbacks. During spring, the now-17-year-old displayed impressive athleticism and hip flexibility for a true freshman. On top of that, his actual coverage ability is impressive.
Freshman DB/WR Demetres Samuel Jr. going through a CB drill at today’s practice at Syracuse.
Samuel showed great hip fluidity throughout his coverage drills today. The freshman continues to impress in spring practice. pic.twitter.com/1fVY0LDOAt
— Thomas Christopher (@ThomasCP_NFL) April 5, 2025
For the cornerback, there’s no better coach to learn from than Fran Brown. There’s urgency when the coach is teaching technique, understanding how little time there is to truly understand a concept and executing it efficiently in a practice session. On top of that, he has the type of experience that makes his words worth listening too.
Brown played cornerback for Western Carolina and spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals during his playing career. Yet his resume as a coach is what’s impressive.
Brown has been a defensive backs coach since 2013, with a stint as defensive coordinator with Temple in 2018. He’s also one of the best recruiters in college football. Being able to sell a message and a program to players shouldn’t be understated, and that trait directly translates while coaching, too. And that coaching is paying off for Demetres Samuel Jr.
Samuel displays tremendous IQ when playing in an off-zone coverage. He understands when he needs to break on a route to impact a play and make a play on the ball. And in press coverage, Samuel plays tight. There’s never more than a yard of separation between himself and the receiver.
On the flip side of things, however, playing the part of receiver has had its ups and downs. That isn’t to say that Demetres can’t do it. It’s more that it may take a full offseason program for things to be more fluid on that side of the ball.
One reason for that is his stem packages on his route concepts. Samuel wasn’t asked to run sophisticated concepts in high school, and at the moment Syracuse isn’t pressing that issue – yet.
That doesn’t mean they aren’t giving him opportunities, though. Samuel played the entirety of the Syracuse spring game playing on both sides of the ball. And, despite not coming down with a reception, the freshman was targeted a lot. Coach Brown understands the importance of reps, and its impact on player growth.
Yet before this excerpt gets taken as a slight, readers should remember one thing. Freshmen seasons are one of learning curves and gaining play strength. After all, Travis Hunter only had 188 receiving yards in his freshman year at Jackson State (in eight games).
With how open the wide receiver room is in Syracuse with the departure of Trebor Pena, Samuel will get opportunities to showcase his talent. With that in mind, it’s not hard to imagine Demetres reaching 200 receiving yards and five touchdowns in his first year in college football.
Where you play matters
In the world of football, where an athlete plays matters to the growth of their brand. For instance, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an offensive lineman who’s more popular with fans than the quarterback. That sentiment extends to other parts of the ball, too.
Behind quarterback, receivers and cornerbacks are usually known for their extrovert personalities. After all, they’re positions that can make big plays happen in an instant. There’s a reason players like Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey, and Travis Hunter received more attention for their accolades than Shaq Thompson, who was an excellent two-way player in his own right. And that’s what type of imprint Demetres Samuel Jr. is looking to making on the college football world.
Demetres Samuel Jr. is newly 17 years old
He’ll play both WR/CB at Syracuse this season – Fran Brown wants him to start at corner. Playing both sides of the ball has been the plan since he committed to SU
He says Heisman winner Travis Hunter was a factor, but he always saw this… pic.twitter.com/KtrFb7ni5s
— Ashley Wenskoski (@AshleyWenskTV) April 15, 2025
However, personality and position aren’t the only factors in determining success. Where you play matters, too. And for Samuel, there’s not many places better than Syracuse.
Having an outspoken coach like Fran Brown is important for players. Brown is extremely quotable, and isn’t shy to highlight specific players in his media availability. That adds an extra spotlight on the team, for better or for worse. Yet, that spotlight comes with massive benefits for those who shine under its microscope. But there’s even more to that.
Syracuse itself is known for churning out football talent. On top of the four players selected in the 2025 NFL draft, the school has eight members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That includes legends such as Jim Brown, Dwight Freeney, Art Monk, and Marvin Harrison.
Those factors matter when fans look at a player, whether people like it or not. Demetres Samuel Jr. may not have the initial national hype surrounding his play, the opportunity is there for the taking. And if the 17-year-old true freshman can continue his elite cornerback play while taking advantage of offensive opportunities at wide receiver, there’s little reason to believe he won’t match the same star power fans saw Travis Hunter obtain not long ago.
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