From Allegacy Stadium to Your Living Room: Wake Forest's Top 5 Players "in the Game"
College Football 26 was officially released for Early Access customers on Monday. It was released on July 10 for everyone else. If you are planning on using the Demon Deacons, we are here to help. The Deacs are rated as a 79 Overall with a 79 Offense and an 81 Defense. Here are the top five Demon Deacons to look out for in the game and at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium this fall.
Demond Claiborne - 91 Overall
It will not surprise many Demon Deacon fans to find star halfback Demond Claiborne at the top of this list. In 2024, Claiborne was one of the few glimmers of hope for the Wake Forest football team. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and found the end zone 11 times on the ground. Jake Dickert and Rob Ezell have to be ecstatic to have Demond back in the backfield, as he was highly sought after by some big name programs around the country this offseason.
His impressive campaign in 2024 caught the eyes of the developers of EA College Football 26 as they gave him a 91 Overall rating. Some of his highest stats include a blistering 96 speed, 95 acceleration, and 97 stamina. The gritty runner also earned a 93 in toughness and a 91 in change of direction, but he will have to feel robbed with his 67 strength rating.
Demond is the ninth best running back in the entire game. As the season progresses, do not be surprised to see his ranking climb.
Fa'alili Fa'amoe - 87 Overall
Seeing an offensive lineman be the second highest rated Demon Deacon has to excite video gamers who tend to ground and pound the rock. Another man who was sought after by many prestigious programs across the country, Fa'alili Fa'amoe, decided to follow his Wazzu head coach to Tobacco Road. Fa'alili, also known as Lili, joins the Deacs alongside teammate and fellow offensive lineman Devin Kylany.
In 2024, Fa'amoe helped protect John Mateer and the Washington State backfield and did quite the job at Offensive Tackle. He is a three-year starter who has played over 1,800 snaps in his career. He is also an incredible leader on the field as he was a team captain in Pullman in 2024.
These impressive statistics have earned Fa'amoe an 87 overall in EA College Football 26. Some of his strongest stats include his 94 strength and 93 awareness. His pass blocking power is 91 overall, and his impact blocking totals at a 94 overall. If you are planning on running the ball with Demond Claiborne, follow Lili all the way to the end zone.
Nick Andersen - 86 Overall
The first defensive player on this list is none other than the senior ballhawk, Nick Andersen. A Demon Deacon for the past four years, Andersen bleeds old gold and black. He is full of energy and can fly around the secondary. Scottie Hazelton, the former Michigan State Defensive Coordinator, will be thrilled to have Andersen on his defense in Deactown.
Last year, Andersen finished with a career high of 122 total tackles on the season. He started all 12 games of the season and even had two interceptions in the secondary. Against North Carolina A&T, Andersen had a season high of 12 tackles. Andersen hopes to lead the Wake Forest defense to a successful campaign in 2025.
In the game, the Clifton, Virginia native is the third highest-rated on the Demon Deacons at an 86 Overall. Anderson is the highest-rated defensive player for Wake Forest and will be super fun to use in the secondary. His 88 speed and 92 acceleration make him an invaluable asset to the secondary. He holds a 90 overall in both toughness and pursuit. However, Nick may be a little upset with his rather low 84 hit power rating.
Dylan Hazen - 83 Overall
Another exciting piece of Hazelton's defense is redshirt-senior linebacker Dylan Hazen. The play-making linebacker finished the 2024 season third in total tackles for the Demon Deacons with 84 tackles, 36 of which were solo tackles. Hazen flies around the field and is not afraid to lay the hammer on any offensive ball carrier.
Last year, he had a breakout game against Ole Miss, where he picked up his only interception on the year off of now New York Giant, Jaxson Dart. In that game, he also recorded nine tackles. The vocal leader for the defense had a season high of tackles against the Rebels and matched that total in the season finale against the Duke Blue Devils.
The man from the Woodlands, Texas, earned an 83 overall rating in EA College Football 26 based on his 2024 campaign. His highest statistics include his 89 acceleration, his 88 pursuit, and his 87 tackling. Similarly to his teammate, Nick Anderson, Hazen might be a little disappointed with his rather low hit power rating of 83. Hazen and Andersen will be making lots of plays on the field and your television.
Davaughn Patterson - 83 Overall
To round out this list, why not mention a third member of Hazleton's defense? Similarly to Hazen and Andersen, Patterson started each of the 12 games for the Deacs. These three bring tons of experience and skill to this 81 overall defense.
The youngest of the three defensive players on the list had a career game last season against Clemson. The heavy-hitting defensive back recorded 12 tackles and a forced fumble against the Tigers. Just like his teammate, Dylan Hazen, Patterson recorded nine tackles against the impressive Ole Miss Rebel offense.
The redshirt-sophomore carries an 83 overall rating with him into College Football 26. His speed is well accounted for with an 88 overall. Patterson also holds the highest hit power out of the three defensive players on the list with an 88 in that category. His 88 rating in toughness and his 88 overall acceleration will make him a fun player to use in the Demon Deacon secondary. Deacon fans should be very excited about their young defensive back as we approach the 2025 season.
Learn more about the new Wake Forest Demon Deacons On SI site.
Ryder is a Junior at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He is studying Accountancy but has a passion for college athletics. He serves as the Treasurer of the Old Gold and Black, Wake Forest’s Student-Run newspaper. He has also served as a play-by-play analyst for his high school’s football and basketball games.