Sage Surratt played in only nine games for Wake Forest last season and yet he was second on the team with 66 catches, tied for the team lead with 1,001 receiving yards and led the Demon Deacons with 11 receiving touchdowns.
On Wednesday, the former two-star prospect from Lincolnton, N.C., announced he would be opting out of this college football season to prepare for the NFL Draft, striking a major blow to Wake Forest's offense that is searching for playmakers.
Surratt outplayed his ranking by a country mile as his 11 touchdowns last season matched Ricky Proehl's record from 30 years ago. In only two seasons with the Demon Deacons, Surratt caught 107 passes.
As for his NFL Draft stock, the Wake Forest receiver is not in the same conversation as LSU's Ja'Marr Chase or Alabama's DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, but he's not far from it. Most projections have him as a mid-second round pick but a strong showing at the combine could move him even higher as he's one of many in that second-tier group. He's projected as the top draft-eligible receiver coming out of the ACC.
FARRELL'S TAKE: This is an interesting decision and one I think won’t help Surratt. The wide receiver class is deep beyond the big three of Chase, Smith and Waddle and Surratt needed a big season and to show he’s back from injury to push anywhere near Round 1. I can see him as a good value in Round 3 for someone unless he kills the combine. He was an average receiver out of high school who found the right fit and turned himself into a star.
