With Syracuse football training camp a few weeks away, The Daily Orange beat writers, Chris Libonati, Jon Mettus and Matt Schneidman, will analyze one of the top 10 preseason storylines, top 10 position battles or reveal one of 10 player files each day. Check out dailyorange.com and follow along here to countdown to camp.

With the top two cornerback spots likely settled for Syracuse, the Orange’s nickel corner spot will be a hotly contested battle in the secondary. Wayne Morgan, Christopher Fredrick and Juwan Dowels all could be in contention for the spot.

Each was listed on the post-spring depth chart with Dowels behind Cordell Hudson, Morgan behind Corey Winfield and Fredrick behind Morgan. That likely means Dowels and Morgan will have a leg up when training camp practices begin on Aug. 6.

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MORE PRESEASON POSITION BATTLES:

• No. 7: Antwan Cordy vs. Chauncey Scissum
• No. 8: Jonathan Thomas vs. Ted Taylor
• No. 9: Second outside receiver

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Dowels will be a redshirt sophomore in 2016 while Morgan will be a redshirt senior. Last season, Dowels defended six passes, one more than Winfield. He racked up 40 tackles in mostly rotational duty and grabbed one interception.

Morgan accrued just 16 tackles last year while playing in all 12 games. Early in his career, he received playing time from former head coach Scott Shafer. But a season-ending injury in 2014 derailed Morgan’s ascension up the depth chart.

Fredrick is the youngest of the three options, and he redshirted last season for SU. If he does beat out Morgan and Dowels, he’s largely an unknown quantity compared to those two.

Given the rise of the spread offense throughout college football, the nickel corner will be on the field enough that it’ll make a difference for Syracuse. Dowels is likely the frontrunner, but Morgan and Fredrick tag close behind.

Published on July 27, 2016 at 8:00 pm

Contact Chris: cjlibona@syr.edu | @ChrisLibonati