Whether you are a fan of the transfer portal or not, it doesn’t matter — the new age of college athletics is here. With added years of eligibility from COVID-19 (the upcoming 2024 season is the final season to which this applies) and increased NIL opportunities across the nation, college football players are opting to stay enrolled in school a bit longer, though not necessarily where they started their college careers.
Many players have already expressed interest in finding a new home for the next year or two (or three or four), but the number of decisions will skyrocket on Monday, Dec. 4, when the transfer portal officially opens.
Wake Forest is not immune to this double-edged sword. Head Coach Dave Clawson has had success in recruiting transfer players over the past few years (Kobie Turner, defensive lineman, from Richmond; Jacob Roberts, linebacker, from NC A&T; Malik Mustapha, safety, from Richmond), but in turn, many Demon Deacons have moved their way up as well (Sam Hartman, quarterback, to No. 16 Notre Dame; Gavin Holmes, cornerback, to No. 3 Texas).
After a 4-8 (1-7 ACC) season and missing the program’s first bowl game since 2015, Clawson has said he is not opposed to using the transfer portal to fill depleted positions — namely at quarterback and offensive line.
All transfers are listed chronologically, from the most recent announcement to the earliest.
TRANSFERS IN:
Capone Blue, DB — final of eligibility
Career stats (6 seasons at Kent State): 32 games, 63 tackles, 12 PBU, FF
Announced Dec. 18
Keagen Trost, OL — two years of eligibility remaining
Career stats (1 season at Morgan State, 4 seasons at Indiana State): 26 games
Announced Dec. 11
Branson Combs, LB — one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats (5 seasons at Southern Illinois): 49 games, 176 tackles, 12 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 6 INT, 18 PBU, 2 FR
Announced on Dec. 10
Hank Bachmeier, QB — one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats (4 seasons at Boise State, 1 season at Louisiana Tech): 38 games, 718-for-1139, 8,663 pass yds, 51 TD, 24 INT
Announced on Dec. 10; story here.
Wake Forest has extended eight offers to players still seeking recruitment — linebacker Sam Brumfield III (Middle Tennessee State), offensive lineman Jacob Rizy (Harvard), defensive back Kenan Johnson (Georgia Tech), defensive back TJ Crandall (Colorado State), wide receiver Antonio Meeks (Tuskegee), defensive back Micah Robinson (Furman) and Mateen Ibirogba (Georgetown).
TRANSFERS OUT:
Eli Hall, DL — three years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 2 games
Announced on Dec. 4
Committed to Liberty on Dec. 18
Jahmal Banks, WR — one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 44 games, 107 rec, 1,404 yds, 13 TD
Announced on Dec. 8
A.K. Kelly, WR — three years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: N/A
Announced on Dec. 4
Brooks Yurachek, LB — four years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: N/A
Announced on Dec. 4
Ke’Shawn Williams, WR — one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 46 games, 107 rec, 1,385 yds, 5 TD, 654 KR yds
Announced on Dec. 1
Wesley Grimes, WR — two years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 18 games, 24 rec, 372 yds, 5 TD
Announced on Nov. 30
Troy Hoilman, QB — two years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: N/A
Announced on Nov. 29
Christian Forbes, OL — two years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 17 games
Announced on Nov. 29
Jaylen Hudson, DL — one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 44 games, 37 tackles, 2 TFL, FF
Announced on Nov. 29
AJ Williams, DB — Coastal Carolina, one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 48 games, 106 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 4 PBU, INT
Announced on Nov. 29
Committed to Coastal Carolina on Dec. 12
Justice Ellison, RB — Indiana, one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 43 games, 427 rush, 1,901 yds, 15 TD, 24 rec, 163 yds, TD
Announced on Nov. 28
Committed to Indiana on Dec. 10
Trey Boll, TE — one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 37 games, 1 rec, 5 yds, TFL
Announced on Nov. 28
Santino Marucci, QB — two years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 4 games, 12-for-21, 151 yds, TD, 2 INT, 9 rush, 1 yd
Jacob Zuhr, LS — two years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 25 games, 4 tackles
Announced on Nov. 28
Brendon Harris, DB — Middle Tennessee State, one year of eligibility remaining
Career stats (4 seasons at Vanderbilt, 2 seasons at Wake Forest): 48 games, 149 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 7 PBU, FF, FR, INT, 2 defensive TD
Announced on Nov. 28
Committed to MTSU on Dec. 18
Mitch Griffis, QB — Marshall, two years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 23 games, 157-for-263, 1,957 yds, 15 TD, 8 INT, 123 rush, 141 yds, 2 TD Announced on Nov. 28
Committed to Marshall on Dec. 15
GOING PRO:
Chelen Garnes, DB
Career stats (1 season at Navy, 4 seasons at Wake Forest): 46 games, 156 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 3 INT, 12 PBU
Announced on Dec. 11
Jacob Roberts, LB
Career stats (3 seasons at NC A&T, 1 season at Wake Forest): 44 games, 301 tackles, 39.5 TFL, 15.5 sacks, 5 INT, 7 PBU, 2 FF, FR, 2 defensive TD
Announced on Dec. 4
Caelen Carson, DB
Career stats: 36 games, 120 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 26 PBU, 2 FF, 2 FR, 3 INT
Announced Dec. 2
Malik Mustapha, DB
Career stats (1 season at Richmond, 3 seasons at Wake Forest): 39 games, 192 tackles, 15 TFL, 4 sacks, 7 PBU, 4 FF, 2 FR, 3 INT
Announced Dec. 1
RETURNING:
Ivan Mora, P — final year of eligibility
Career stats: 47 games, 186 punts, 41.7 yds avg., 166 kickoffs, 59.2 yds avg.
Announced on Dec. 14
Donovan Greene, WR
Career stats: 25 games, 79 rec, 1,473 yds, 10 TD, 259 kick return yds, KR TD
Announced on Dec. 13
Jasheen Davis, DL — final year of eligibility
Career stats: 39 games, 119 tackles, 39.5 TFL, 20 sacks, 3 FF, 3 FR, 2 PBU
Announced on Dec. 4
Demond Claiborne, RB — two years of eligibility remaining
Career stats: 20 games, 151 rush, 643 yds, 5 TD, 4 rec, 30 yds, 284 kick return yds
Announced Dec. 4
DeVonte Gordon, OL — final year of eligibility
Career stats: 41 games
Announced Dec. 4
Taylor Morin, WR — final year of eligibility
Career stats: 49 games, 163 rec, 2,218 yds, 19 TD, 741 return yds
Announced Dec. 4
Kevin Pointer, DL — final year of eligibility
Career stats (1 season at Louisiana-Monroe, 3 seasons at Wake Forest): 43 games, 93 tackles, 20.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 3 PBU, FR
Announced Dec. 4
Michael Kern, QB — final year of eligibility
Career stats: 16 games, 81-for-134, 1,023 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT, 40 rush, 46 yds
Announced Nov. 28
The Old Gold & Black will update this article as more information becomes available.
Update Dec. 12 at 4:30 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect new developments.
Update Dec. 18: This story has been updated to reflect new developments.
