A.T. Perry headlines Wake Forest receivers in season PFF grades
As we recap the regular season and look forward to Wake Forest’s Gasparilla Bowl matchup against Missouri on Dec. 23, we’re diving into the PFF grades of key contributors for each position group. Today we have perhaps the most prolific unit on the roster: the pass catchers.
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WRs
1. A.T. Perry- 80.9
Perry turned in another spectacular regular season campaign, finishing with 70 catches, 980 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had five games with at least 100 receiving yards — perhaps his most electric performance came against Syracuse, where he connected with Sam Hartman 10 times for 119 yards and three scores. However, his PFF grade of 78.9 in that contest was just his fifth-highest mark of the season. He graded over 80 on two occasions, notching an 82.1 against Florida State and an 81.7 vs Army. Perry is likely set to depart from Wake Forest as the school’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions (28) — his connection with Hartman will be sorely missed by Demon Deacon fans everywhere if he chooses to leave.
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2. Taylor Morin- 78.1
Taylor Morin made up one half of Wake Forest’s dynamic slot receiver duo. Morin totaled 545 receiving yards in 2022, and his 44 receptions and seven touchdowns were both personal bests for a season. Morin started off the season on a strong note, hauling in five catches for 74 yards, a touchdown and an 84.0 PFF grade in the season-opener vs VMI. He graded over 80 on two other occasions — an 85.4 vs UNC (5 rec., 106 yards, 1 TD) and a 90.1 against Duke (6 rec., 93 yards, 1 TD).
3. Jahmal Banks- 76.8
Jahmal Banks emerged as a rising star for the Demon Deacons this season. His season totals were 39 catches for 565 yards and eight touchdowns. Banks’ breakout performance came in Wake’s highly anticipated matchup with Clemson in Week 4. He stole the show, hauling in six catches for 141 yards and two big touchdowns and grading out at an 88.3. It was one of three multi-score games for Banks this year – he scored twice against both Liberty (72.6 PFF grade) and Boston College (84.3 PFF grade). Banks will be an important weapon in the offense next season alongside prospective starting QB Mitch Griffis.
4. Ke’Shawn Williams- 76.3
Ke’Shawn Williams split reps in the slot with Morin, also chipping in his share of big plays. Williams had 39 catches for 547 yards and a single touchdown that came against Syracuse in Wake Forest’s penultimate game of the regular season. His highest PFF grade of the season was an 84.9 against Liberty in Week 3, where he caught five catches for a season-high 129 yards. Williams’ other PFF grade over 80 came in Wake Forest’s road win over Florida State (81.2), where he caught four passes for 43 yards and notched a receiving grade of 80.5. Williams’ quickness and agility will be a key component of the offense in 2023.
5. Donavon Greene- 72.0
Greene had the second-most receiving yards on the team in 2022 with 615, trailing only A.T. Perry. After missing the entire 2021 season due to injury, Greene’s presence on the outside provided a spark to the offense — he hauled in 36 catches this year, six of them for touchdowns. He had two multi-touchdown performances against Clemson and UNC, receiving respective PFF grades of 70.3 and 70.9 for those outings. His highest grade of the season game against VMI in the season opener (72.0), where he snagged five catches for 63 yards. Drops plagued Greene at times this season — PFF rated him below 50 in that category on five occasions. Greene will likely step into an expanded role next season with A.T. Perry likely departing for the NFL.
TEs
1. Blake Whiteheart- 64.1
Senior captain Blake Whiteheart headlined the tight end group, notching 23 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns in his final season at Wake Forest. Whiteheart got off to a fantastic start in 2022, hauling in each of his three touchdown grabs in the first four games. His highest grade of the year came in the season finale against Duke (4 rec., 60 yards), a 74.1. He was a consistent option for Sam Hartman, as he caught at least one pass in every game but one this season. Whiteheart is a solid receiver to be sure, but his blocking should also be recognized – he graded over 70 in the PFF pass blocking metric in six of 12 contests.
2. Cameron Hite- 63.4
Hite was the backup tight end for the Deacs this season, though he missed some time due to injury. The highlight of his season came in Week 2 against Vanderbilt (74.3 PFF grade), where he scored his lone touchdown of the year on a nifty screen pass from Hartman. He will likely see an expanded role next season with Whiteheart departing.
3. Jaeger Bull- 62.5
Bull played sparingly throughout the season as a reserve tight end, though he did finish the year with five catches for 43 yards. His best PFF grade was a 67.1 against Army, where he caught just one pass for eight yards. Bull arrived at Wake Forest as a graduate transfer from Rice and is now out of eligibility.
Looking ahead:
As of right now, Perry, Whiteheart and Bull are likely the only Demon Deacon pass catchers set to depart. The team retains the majority of its core weapons in this unit, which should provide a nice security blanket for presumptive starting QB Mitch Griffis as he replaces Hartman under center. With Perry likely gone, I expect Jahmal Banks to be a candidate for a breakout season on the outside. Overall, the team is still in great shape at these spots moving forward.
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