Wake Forest Football Recruiting: 2023 Offensive Commits
Holding the No. 43 rank in the 2023 recruiting rankings per 247Sports, Wake Forest has been able to parlay its historic 2021 season into recruiting success for the 2023 class. Here are the offensive commits so far:
WR Micah Mays Jr.
The 6’2” 175-pound wide receiver from North Palm Beach, FL is a special talent. Compiling 38 total offers, Mays was a hot commodity on the recruiting trail. Mays was recruited to play wide receiver at Wake Forest and has the size and talent to immediately insert himself amid the wide receiver competition next summer.
In his junior season, he was a standout receiver for The Benjamin School, hauling in 42 catches for 724 yards and seven TDs. The opportunity to work with receivers coach Kevin Higgins and the potential to replace senior WR A.T. Perry should generate a lot of hype for Mays upon his arrival. Wake fans should be really excited about this one.
Other notes:
- No. 14 highest rated commit for WF
- Son of former Grambling State QB Micah Mays
RB Drew Pickett
Already boasting a young and skillful running back room, Pickett adds a great deal of talent to this group. As a recruit, Pickett has garnered national attention and received 20 offers. Standing at 5’10” and 190 pounds, Pickett is regarded as one of the best running backs in the state of Alabama. Pickett ran for 1,352 yards and 11 TDs last season with Russell County High School. Pickett is listed as the No. 675 recruit in the 2023 class and the 43rd best running back according to 247Sports composite. Pickett, along with last year’s prized recruit, Demond Claiborne, have the potential to form a very formidable backfield for Wake Forest in the coming years.
Other notes:
- No. 21 highest rated commit for WF
- Son of former Alabama DB Darryl Pickett
READ: Spotlight - Wake Forest QB Michael Kern
IOL Devin McRae
At 6’3” 280 pounds, McRae’s impressive frame garnered plenty of interest. McRae received offers from 14 schools, and chose Wake over 2 SEC schools — Mississippi State and Arkansas. McRae has really impressive mobility for a player of his size and pulls well from the guard position on inside runs. He does almost everything for his Telfair County squad (McRae, GA), playing guard on offense and lining up at defensive end on the other side of the ball. He’s the Deacons' highest ranked offensive lineman in this class — No. 48 in the country — and is the No. 662 player in the 2023 class.
You can watch McRae's highlights here.
WR Hilton “Deuce” Alexander II
The addition of Hilton Alexander II adds a unique skillset to the receiver room. Holding the record for the best 200 meter dash at his high school with a time of 21.61, Alexander has the breakaway speed to beat ACC cornerbacks one on one. Slotting in as a matchup nightmare on the inside, “Deuce” plays for Douglas County in Georgia, where he caught 53 passes for 669 yards and five touchdowns last season. One of seven commits from Georgia in this class, Wake Forest continues to establish a recruiting foothold in one of the best football states in the country. Alexander plans to enroll early and will look to make early contributions in his time at Wake Forest.
In his commitment interview, Alexander told 247Sports, “Wake Forest fans will see a humble kid, coming in ready to work. I'm going to put on for the city."
Look for “Deuce” to have a similar role to former WR Jaquarii Roberson and imprint his legacy in Winston-Salem.
Other notes:
- Father Hilton Alexander was a wide receiver and sprinter who signed with the 49ers as an UDFA in 2001
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QB Charlie Gilliam
Wake’s lone QB in the 2023 class, Gilliam has great size, boasting a 6’3”, 180-pound frame. In six games this season, Gilliam has thrown for 1178 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s listed as a pure pocket passer but he can make pinpoint throws to the outside as seen below, showing a similar skill set to Mitch Griffis.
Gilliam’s team, Eagles Landing Christian Academy in McDonough, GA, features two of the top 10 players in the state of Georgia for the 2023 class. He’s playing top competition in practice and on game days, preparing him well for the rigors of the ACC.
Check out Gilliam's highlights here.
OL George Steih
Similar to McRae, Steih plays both sides of the ball and is actually listed on 247Sports primarily as a defensive tackle. However, Steih was recruited to play the O-line — likely the tackle position). At 6’5”, 270 pounds, Steih is the largest offensive lineman in Wake Forest’s 2023 class. He will come into Wake and the ACC with a chip on his shoulder; the Deacons are the only Power Five offer he received.
“They showed me that they have faith in me and they believe in me,” Steih said in a post-commitment interview with The Tennessean. “I want to prove them right by living it out and going on to be the best that I can be.”
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IOL Kyland Armstrong
One of four commits from Florida, Armstrong is an intriguing prospect. Competing for his school’s weightlifting team in addition to playing football, it is evident that Kyland Armstrong cares about strength. His recruitment was led by offensive line coach Nick Tabacca, with the belief that Armstrong can be a centerpiece for the future of this offensive line. 247 lists Armstrong as an interior offensive lineman, though he is able to play any position on the line.
In his last season for the Oakleaf Knights, Armstrong has kept a low profile in his recruiting process; his only offers came from Bowling Green and Wake Forest. He committed the same day he received a Wake Forest offer.
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