Football preview: 5 breakout candidates

The pillars of college football as we know them might be shifting, but there’s still going to be a football season to be played in 2022.

And it’s going to be here in less than two months.

That makes this as good a time as any to start preparing for Wake Forest’s upcoming season. With the Deacons coming off of an 11-win season and riding a six-season bowl streak, momentum has Wake Forest pointed again for a top-of-the-ACC finish.

To get back to such heights, Wake Forest will need a few players to step up into new roles and excel in them.

A few notes before we get started:

There isn’t much room to project breakout players for this Wake Forest team because, well, a lot of players have already broken out who are still on the roster. The Deacons are a veteran team with no shortage of experienced talent … which limits the choices here.

I also think of a breakout player as one who’s been in the program for at least two seasons without much consistent on-field production. Exceptions can be made for sophomores who played significant snaps last season, though.

Here are five Deacons primed for breakout seasons:

Position: Running back

Eligibility left: Three seasons

Career stats: 19 games | 137 carries, 656 yards, 8 touchdowns | 8 catches, 40 yards, 1 touchdown

Overview: If you wanted to make the point that Ellison should be ineligible for this list, you’d have a valid point.

It was Ellison who took the reins on Wake’s game-winning drive against Louisville last season; and Ellison who scored three touchdowns in the pivotal win over N.C. State in November. He was second on the team in rushing (541 yards) and tied for second in rushing touchdowns (seven).

So what’s he doing here, anyway?

Ellison’s inclusion is an endorsement of his future and that he’s only shown a glimpse of what he’s fully capable of as a Deacon.

The 5-10, 204-pounder played a bit of everything in high school – running back, receiver, quarterback, defensive back – and has grown into a strong ACC-caliber running back after focusing on the position for two years. If his growth continues – which is a good bet, as laid out in this spring practice report – he’s going to blow past his yardage number from last season.

Whether Ellison becomes the second running back under Dave Clawson and Warren Ruggiero to rush for 1,000 yards in a season (Cade Carney in 2018 is the only one, with 1,005) might still be a longshot – but it also shouldn’t be a shock.

Position: Linebacker

Eligibility left: Three seasons

Career stats: 24 games | 13 tackles, 1 TFL

Overview: The light has to click for Hudson eventually, right?

Entering his fourth season in the program, Hudson has only played 83 defensive snaps in his Wake Forest career. Part of that is because he’s at a position behind Ryan Smenda Jr.; part of it is because Hudson hasn’t played up to his potential.

Size has never been the problem for Hudson, who’s 6-3, 241. He’s flashed some ranginess in practices that makes you think he could be one of the most physically impressive linebackers in the ACC.

The bet here is that a third linebackers coach in four seasons – Glenn Spencer – will unlock the key to Hudson’s development. If that happens, a position that’s worn thin in past seasons gets stronger for the Deacons.

Position: Safety

Eligibility left: Three seasons

Career stats: 26 games | 37 tackles, 2½ TFLs, 1 sack, 1 interception, 3 PBUs

Overview: There’s a similar logic with Williams – also a defender entering his fourth season – as there was with Hudson.

Williams is getting a fresh start with the arrival of defensive coordinator Brad Lambert and safeties coach James Adams. In the spring, Williams talked about the effect the new staff has had on him.

Also like Hudson, Williams hasn’t lacked the physicality to make an impact. That’s part of why he played eight games in 2020, with two starts, and recorded 30 tackles.

The key difference between Hudson and Williams is that there should be plenty of snaps spread around at safety. It’s the most-intriguing position on Wake’s defense entering fall camp because of the need not only for depth, but for well-rounded playmakers to take charge on the back end.

Williams could fit that billing.

Position: Wide receiver

Eligibility left: Three seasons

Career stats: 20 games | 7 catches, 115 yards, 0 touchdowns

Overview: Hope you’re still holding that stock because I know I am.

Banks was sensational at times in last year’s fall camp, to the point that he could’ve appeared on a list of this nature leading into the season.

It’s one thing to shine in camp; it’s another to do it in games.

Banks didn’t parlay the same success into last season – though it’s hard to be critical with the successes of A.T. Perry, Taylor Morin and Donald Stewart at the outside positions.

It’s a safe bet that Banks will have a larger opportunity this season.

Perry returns, but Stewart graduated and Morin is moving to the slot – at least in a time share with Ke’Shawn Williams. There’s another who will vie for targets on the outside with Perry – more on him shortly – but Banks should be no lower than third in the pecking order for wide receivers.

The difference in targets between Wake’s third option and fourth option last season was 44 – Stewart had 57 targets; Banks had 13.

Position: Wide receiver

Eligibility left: Four seasons

Career stats: 12 games | 42 catches, 831 yards, 4 touchdowns

Overview: Oh yeah, this one is definitely a stretch. Luckily it slipped past the editor’s desk at Deacons Illustrated.

In all seriousness, Greene has already broken out. The Mount Airy native was Wake’s best wide receiver in the COVID-shortened season of 2020. You could make the argument his breakout came even before that, with the 172-yard performance at Syracuse at the end of the 2019 season.

So why is Greene included here?

Because it’s worth remembering just how explosive Greene was in a small window. His career average is just under 20 yards per catch – it’s a little surprising he only had four touchdowns (five if you include his kick return against Campbell in 2020).

Perry was one of the best receivers in the country last season and enters this season as perhaps the best in the ACC. Adding Greene – who I thought was primed to have the type of season Perry had last season – to the mix gives Sam Hartman an embarrassment of riches in the passing game.

We’ll have to see in fall camp how full of a recovery Greene has made from the torn ACL that cost him last season. If he’s close to the level of athlete he was before, though, Wake’s receiving corps will be the best in the ACC.

Editor’s note: This is the first of several articles coming in the next few weeks leading into the start of fall camp.