Chris Peal is lighting up the preseason hype train, earning All-America fourth-team honors and a top-11 cornerback ranking from Phil Steele — the college football bible — with some even projecting him as a first-round NFL draft pick. Peal’s standout season also landed him on Steele’s All-ACC second team, the highest honor for any Syracuse player this year. Fellow Orange defenders Chris D’Appolonia and Antoine Deslauriers also got nods, while no offensive players cracked the All-ACC lists. Steele sees Syracuse as a bowl-bound, improved team from last year’s three-win slog — ranked 15th in the ACC — but still not championship material. He’s bullish on the QB room and linebacker corps, especially with new transfers and D’Appolonia’s leadership, but remains skeptical about the running backs, offensive line, and defensive line — ranking them among the worst in the conference. The schedule’s tougher than last year’s, but not insurmountable.

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