Taking a look at Wake Forest’s biggest class
Who will be last year’s Cade Carney? That’s one of the bigger questions entering fall camp in the lead up to the season opener against Presbyterian.
It isn’t a secret that this recruiting class from Dave Clawson was one of the best in Wake Forest history. On the surface these guys seem like fantastic playmakers, but it is still hard for a freshman to crack the two deep and get meaningful playing time, especially at Wake Forest, where redshirting has become the norm. Fall camp has started and comments have been made, so lets take a look at some guys who could make an impact this season.
This takes a look at just true freshmen and no redshirt freshmen.
Christian Beal - Wide Receiver/Running Back
A strong candidate lies in the backfield. While Cade Carney seems very positioned as the #1 RB on the chart, the need for speed is real. Beal standing around 5’9 and a bit under 200 pounds is just the candidate for that position. He boasts legitimate 4.5 speed which could be very useful in the running scheme to bust open for big plays from the backfield.
Sage Surratt - Wide Receiver
The return of Steven Clause has posed a very interesting conundrum for the wide receiving corps. He’s an explosive guy with experience (hopefully you’re catching on). Clawson has gone on record by saying he would like to redshirt freshmen but doesn’t know if he can with Surratt. He has been impressing in camp so far and is a matchup nightmare. We could be seeing him on the field sooner rather than later.
Chase Monroe - Linebacker
In this 4-2-5 scheme we could see a rover, a 3rd linebacker or a slot corner. We have no idea what Sawvel will be doing with this but it seems like Demetrius Kemp will be the number one player at whatever this position is. This is another spot you could see Troy Simon in, but I’m really leaning towards Chase Monroe. If he has a very strong fall he could fit right into the rotation and have a fast, hard hitting body to sub in.
The Best Freshman Cornerback
This one was really hard to pinpoint as camp is only a few days in. We could see Coby Davis, or Ja’Sir Taylor find their way after the loss of Dionte Austin for the season. The Deacs are major thin at this position even with the addition of Cedric Jiles. Also don’t be surprised to see the name Troy Simon pop up.
What other positions or guys who are coming to Wake for the first time could you see making an impact during this season?
