Earlier this year, in March, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown came up with a unique policy, ‘Syracuse 60’ for his players. Brown initiated this program with only one goal: a confirmed job for all football players within 60 days of graduating. “It’s important that I get you a job, making meaningful money inside of your major… We got 60 days for me to help you get a job. It’s important that I get you a job, making meaningful money inside of your major,” the Orange’s head coach said at the time. Now, six months after his promise, we have an update on how effective Brown’s initiative for the ACC College Football program.
On September 22, Orange football insider Samantha Croston followed up on her March report and confirmed the success rate of Brown’s visionary initiative. “An SU Football spokesperson tells me last year’s graduating class ended up with a 100-percent success rate of players either in NFL camps or having employment in their field of study by July.” It stands out as an impressive figure for a college football program, especially given the uncertainties of today’s job market and the success rate of CFB players becoming pro.
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It’s uncommon for a university to guarantee 100% job placement, let alone within 60 days. According to the 2022-23 Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Report, college football had more than 77,000 participants. Of those, just over 17,000 were draft eligible, meaning they were at least three years out of high school. From that group, only 259 players were selected in the NFL Draft.
Even factoring in the small number of undrafted free agents who eventually secure a roster spot, the odds of a college football player reaching the NFL sit at about 1.5%. For perspective, Harvard’s admission rate has consistently remained above 3-4% since 2019. Clearly, for most student-athletes, it’s important to plan for paths beyond football. That’s where head coach Fran Brown, a former criminal justice major himself, has stepped in with ‘Syracuse 60′, which, at least for now, is showing strong results.
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While the main motive behind HC Brown’s initiative was to secure jobs for graduate students in their respective fields as soon as possible, it did not come at the cost of letting the NFL dream die for the Orange players. From the 2024 squad, Oronde Gadsden II went to the Los Angeles Chargers in the 5th round, Kyle McCord to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 6th, LeQuint Allen Jr. to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 7th, and Fadil Diggs to the New Orleans Saints also went in the 7th round. Undrafted players also landed opportunities: Marlowe Wax made the Chargers’ initial 53-man roster, Maximilian Mang joined the Colts’ practice squad, and Justin Barron signed with the Cowboys’ practice squad.
Brown’s leadership has coincided with impressive on-field success. In his first season in 2024, Syracuse finished 10-3, including a Holiday Bowl victory over Washington State. This tied the program record for most wins by a first-year coach. It was also the third double-digit win campaign for Syracuse since the start of this century. In 2025, the Orange have already notched a 3-1 record, including a historic 34-21 win at Clemson’s Death Valley, the program’s first in that venue. Safe to say that Syracuse builds football success and prepares every player for a career or the NFL.