Where Are They Now: Wake Forest's 2024 Wide Receivers
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When a new coach and system come into town, the revolving doors are expected to turn. This case is no different. Plus, with the passing of time, you also eventually have to lose your storied players who have stayed loyal all throughout.
As Wake Forest transitions into its new era and first attempt at assembling a roster with Head Coach Jake Dickert, there are plenty of new faces. But let's turn the clock back a year and revisit the names and faces that tore up the turf in Allegacy Stadium—it was quite the group.
New Paths for Former Deacs
There were five key departures from 2024 to 2025. Four of the five were transfers, with the other being a graduate. So let's take a trip down recent-memory lane:
Donavon Greene
Donavon Greene signed his letter of intent with Wake Forest on Dec. 19, 2018, a whopping seven years ago. I was in the seventh grade, wondering if it ever got harder than doing one-step equations in math class—it does. Now, entering his seventh season in the college football world, Greene is a Virginia Tech Hokie.
Greene has not actually played seven seasons of college football. He missed the 2021 and 2023 seasons due to injury, but has been around all the while. The four-star recruit from Mount Airy, NC, never had his breakout moment, like many expected to see. Injuries certainly hindered his chances, but his best shot came in 2022 when he started all 13 games and reeled in 37 receptions for 642 yards and 6 touchdowns (all career highs).
The big-play threat finally enters his final season as an amateur athlete, and is certain to be an impact player in Blacksburg. On Oct. 4, the Demon Deacons travel for a date with the Hokies, for what should be a fun matchup.
Deuce Alexander
Deuce Alexander is another "what if" player, right alongside Donavon Greene. He finished his redshirt freshman season last year, playing in all 12 games, but he did not see substantial involvement. However, in his first season of real playing time, not too much could be expected. Despite his dull stat line, his work as a gunner on the punt team was notable. The former high school track star showcased his skills on the 52 occasions Wake Forest trotted out punter Ivan Mora.
Alexander came to Wake Forest as a three-star recruit and saw himself as a four-star prospect on his way out. In late December of 2024, he found his new home in Oxford with the Ole Miss Rebels. As of last year, Ole Miss and Wake Forest have a newfound rivalry of sorts, although it may just be a one-sided Lane Kiffin rivalry. The two teams were supposed to meet this season, before the two worked out a buyout, shielding Wake from the likely wrath of the Rebels.
Including Alexander, Ole Miss has five new transfer wide receivers, making a prediction for his placement on the depth chart difficult. But with his versatility, I would not be surprised if Coach Kiffin found a way to get the Douglasville, Georgia native involved in some capacity.
Horatio Fields
Oct. 5, 2024, the moment Horatio Fields created a memory that I will always have. Albeit I was not at the game in Raleigh, the replay was just as pure. Over two defenders, he snagged a 23-yard touchdown, which was part of the heroics that helped the Demon Deacons take down the Wolfpack.
Fields, despite being a senior this season, has only seen 44 receptions in his career. His best stuff was last year, when he hauled in 39 balls for 463 yards and 4 touchdowns. While his career statistically seems lackluster, he is a strong locker room presence, and he doesn't drop passes. In his two years of receiving action in Winston-Salem, No. 5 only dropped three passes.
Now, an Auburn Tiger, he is in the middle of a talent-ridden group of wideouts—potentially the strongest unit on the team. Fields is not going to be an explosive piece for the Tigers, but his reliability and veteran status will likely have him seeing the field.
Taylor Morin
Iron Man. Taylor Morin, like Donavon Greene, signed his letter of intent on Dec. 19, 2018. Morin, however, set up shop on campus, embodying everything it means to be a Demon Deacon.
Morin's name is now littered all over the record books. He has the most receiving yards in a career (2,974), the fourth-most receiving touchdowns (21), the second-most receptions (227), the second-most punt return yards (809), and the second-most games played (61). He also won the 2024 Jim Tatum Award, honoring the ACC's best student-athlete.
Morin doesn't just have records to cherish; he graduated Summa Cum Laude in Engineering and took on Wake's prestigious business school and its M.B.A. program.
Now, has the reality of the "real world" finally set in for the Wake Forest legend? Nope. Following the 2025 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Morin to an undrafted free agent (UDFA) contract. Just on Aug. 7, his Eagles faced off against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he had two catches for 30 yards.
With some luck and continued hard work, Taylor Morin will keep writing his football story, delaying the need for his Wake Forest education.
Walker Merrill
Walker Merrill is the first of the bunch to not be an original Wake Forest recruit. Originally, the Brentwood, Tennessee native took his talents to Knoxville and the Tennessee Volunteers. After two largely uninvolved seasons, Merrill crossed state lines and transferred to Wake Forest. There, however, his involvement was even less. Over two seasons and 10 games, Merrill recorded just 9 receptions for 77 yards.
Now in 2025, as a graduate student, Walker Merrill is a member of the Austin Peay Governors, hoping to finally make waves on the field.
Wake Forest's 2025 Wideouts
As we look toward the fast-approaching 2025 season, Wake Forest's wide receiver room is essentially unrecognizable from just a year ago. Of the four returning wideouts, Micah Mays Jr. leads the pack. There is also one new freshman (Jack Foley) and six transfers, headlined by redshirt-senior Karate Benson.
In this new era of Demon Deacon football, they likely won't have a wide receiver room full of as much potential as they had in 2024 for a little while.
Wake Forest will hit the gridiron on Aug. 29, when they take on the Kennesaw State Owls at Allegacy Stadium.
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Blake is a Sophomore at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. When not living on campus, he resides in West Virginia, where he was born and raised. He is studying communication and is invested in all things related to sports media. In his Freshman year, he completed an internship with the National Sports Media Association, and also worked as a sports editor at Wake Forest's student-run newspaper, the Old Gold & Black. Currently, Blake does play-by-play broadcasting for Wake Forest Club Ice Hockey and holds a job at Learfield, working as a studio host. In a perfect world, he would spend his free time road tripping and attending concerts all across the United States.
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