With Syracuse football training camp approaching, The Daily Orange beat writers, Sam Blum, Jesse Dougherty, Matt Schneidman and Paul Schwedelson will reveal the top 15 preseason storylines with a new one every other day. Make sure to check dailyorange.com and click here to see all the posts as we count down to camp.

Fitting the bill of replacing departed starters on defense, Syracuse’s linebacker corps faces the same challenge as the secondary and defensive line. Cameron Lynch and Dyshawn Davis have both graduated and a unit that went from being defined by experience is now one composed mainly of youth.

There are two locks — sophomore Zaire Franklin at middle linebacker and junior Marqez Hodge on the weak side — but the strong-side spot is still somewhat up in the air. Sophomore Parris Bennett seems to have the edge over classmate Jonathan Thomas and senior Oliver Vigille — Bennett is listed as the starter on the preseason depth chart — but none of the three have started a game in their careers.

Hodge started 12 games in his first two years and Franklin the last three games of 2014. Both have shown flashes of promise during live gameplay but the contenders for the third spot have only seen limited time in moments that carry some form of relevance.

Vigille had the most tackles of any of the three, totaling six in 11 games played. Thomas had four and a forced fumble in nine games played and Bennett had four in eight games. The numbers don’t distinguish the three from each other, but once camp starts in August a clearer favorite should appear.

If head coach Scott Shafer goes with one of the sophomores, it’ll raise more questions of inexperience to a defense that will have plenty. If Vigille gets the call, he’ll bring seniority but maybe not the potential the other two can when they inevitably fill a permanent role down the road.

Either way, it’ll be that third spot that could make or break a group that is the strongest point of the Orange defense.