Wake Forest’s first official depth chart has arrived, and with opening kickoff now just over two days away, a few spots still look fluid. But compared with last year, the picture is sharper in several key areas.
The biggest shakeup comes up front. The offensive line has been one of the offseason’s main questions, with the coaching staff cycling through a lot of different combinations in spring and fall ball. The battle was especially intense at tackle, where Wake Forest had to replace a graduating senior and a transfer.
That competition has now settled, at least for now. New Hampshire transfer Tolu Olajide has claimed the left tackle job, while redshirt freshman Aidan Martin won the right tackle spot.
Inside, the line features Weber State transfer and team captain Will Way, sophomore Clinton Richard, and Oregon State transfer Ryan Berger. With four new starters in the mix, building chemistry early will be one of the main things to watch once the season starts.
Receiver is another area where the depth chart doesn’t offer a clean answer yet. There isn’t a clear starting slot receiver, and Kam Shanks, Drayden Dickmann, and Elijah Otieno are all listed interchangeably.
Shanks, who transferred from Arkansas, had a strong spring. Dickmann, a Rice transfer, arrived in the summer and made an impression in fall camp.
Otieno brings speed and is viewed in a similar mold to Chris Barnes from last season’s team. How the reps get divided there will be worth watching as the season unfolds.
The secondary also had plenty of jobs to sort out after the departures of Nick Andersen and starting corners Karon Prunty and Ladarius Webb Jr. FIU transfer Duece Blades II appears to have taken hold of one starting cornerback role after a strong spring.
Braylon Johnson, who played mostly free safety a year ago and finished with 41 total tackles, is moving into a starting role. On the other side, Ashaad Williams is set to start after missing most of last season with an injury.
He played in only four games but allowed just a 45.5 completion percentage in those snaps. Wake Forest is hoping he can take another step while staying healthy.
One other name worth noting is freshman Somad Eaddy, who shows up as a top backup on the depth chart ahead of redshirt sophomore Sascha Garcia. The #17-ranked player from the state of South Carolina had a strong camp and could see the field in his first season with the Deacs.
In Other News...
Wake Forest Opens Against An Akron Offense Full Of Questions
Akron brings a familiar kind of early-season uncertainty to Winston-Salem, with second-year coach Joe Moorhead still trying to steady an offense that has plenty to sort out before it faces Wake Forest. The Zips finished near the bottom of the FBS in scoring, passing and rushing last season, and they are also replacing key pieces after losing standout players on both sides of the ball. Even with Moorheads track record as an offensive mind, this is still a group that has to prove it can function cleanly against a Power Four opponent.
The biggest question centers on quarterback, where the expected starter, Reese Poffenbarger, is dealing with eligibility issues tied to a medical waiver for a sixth season. Akrons defense has also taken hits, particularly in the pass rush, after losing several of its top producers to the transfer portal. For Wake Forest, the opener offers a chance to face a roster still piecing together its identity, but it also comes with the usual caution that early September uncertainty can make for a less straightforward scouting report than the numbers suggest. [Read more 🡒]