Wake Forest Signs Highest Ranked Recruiting Class in School History
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The Wake Forest Football program is riding high right now. After coming off an 8-4 season with a bowl game still to play, the Deacs signed coach Dickert to a long-term extension. Now he has just signed the best class in Wake Forest history on National Signing Day. According to 247 Sports, this class comprises 30 players and is ranked 45th nationally. Jake Dickert spoke to the media shortly after wrapping up the signings.
This class of 30 guys is also the largest class size-wise in Wake history and comprises players from all over the country as well as internationally. The Deacs showed their local footprint with five players from the Carolinas and seven from Georgia. Other states represented include Colorado, Texas, and Connecticut.
Wake's class also includes two international recruits. Maximilian Tillfeldt Retsler comes to Winston-Salem from Sweden, and Sefa Sackey comes to Wake Forest from Ghana. Sefa came to the United States as a basketball recruit and has only been playing football for four months, according to Coach. His measurables are very promising, as he stands at 6'7 "and is listed as a defensive lineman.
Themes of the Class
Coach Dickert emphasized the athleticism and versatility of this incoming class. Ten of the incoming players stand at over 6'4". In college football today, physical makeup is becoming more and more of a factor. That is why it is very promising to see the Deacs signing many physically imposing guys. Dickert certainly made size and athleticism major factors in this class.
This class not only stands out on the football field but in other areas as well. They have a combined 3.49 average GPA, showing high standards in the classroom along with the field, and 18 of the players are multisport athletes.
Maybe the most defining characteristic of this class is the ability to win. The incoming class has a combined 78% win percentage from their high school football years. Dickert emphasized this point heavily as the culture he is trying to instill is built on bringing in guys who know how to win and can get it done in big moments.
Attention to the Details
Coach Dickert stressed that the Deacs are not only recruiting players based on their current abilities, but on their potential and room to grow. In an era of big NIL, Wake Forest is not focused on recruiting rankings, but they are trying to bring in guys they can develop and build a solid foundation for the future of the program.
It is common for teams to sign players during their junior year of high school to have them locked up. Dickert said this would make up half of their recruiting classes going forward, but the other half would be in scouting seniors. This allows the Deacs to pass on players who may hit a plateau or to find undiscovered diamonds in the rough who really break out during their senior seasons. In an uncharted era of college football, the Deacs are charting their own course of action for building a winning culture.
It feels like the sky is the limit for this Wake Forest team; they continue to prep for a bowl game. We will find out the specific bowl and location this Sunday. Additionally, winter camp starts in about six weeks. There will be no rest for the weary in Deactown.
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.