WINSTON-SALEM — Wake Forest receiver Sage Surratt has become the latest Atlantic Coast Conference player, and the most notable offensive weapon, to opt out of the approaching football season because of coronavirus concerns.
The standout, considered one of the top returning playmakers in college, said Wednesday he will give up the remainder of his eligibility with the Demon Deacons and declare for the NFL Draft.
“My love for Deacon Nation makes this decision very difficult,” Surratt wrote in a Twitter post. “After careful consideration, I will forgo the upcoming season due to the many uncertainties and risks associated with COVID-19. My family and I have decided it is best for me to focus on training for the 2021 NFL Draft.”
Early mock drafts list Surratt as a first-round prospect, though among available receivers LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman, Alabama’s DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, Ohio State’s Chris Olave, and Michigan’s Nico Collins generally are ranked higher on those projections.
Bateman decided against playing this season and opted out earlier this month, before the Big Ten made the move to postpone all of its fall sports competitions, including football.
Surratt is the ACC’s fourth preseason all-conference selection to opt out — and the first player on the offensive side of the ball in that group — joining Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau and Pittsburgh defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Surratt, an imposing physical challenge for opposing defensive backs, compiled 66 catches for 1,001 yards and 11 touchdowns in just nine games last season. He missed the Demon Deacons’ final four games after suffering a shoulder injury, yet still produced the most touchdown receptions by a Wake Forest player since Ricky Proehl’s 11 grabs in 1989.
Surratt took a redshirt year in 2017 and played in 22 games across two seasons, finishing tied for ninth place in Wake Forest history with 15 career touchdown catches. His 1,000-yard season last year marked only the sixth at Wake Forest.
“I have spoken with Sage and our program supports his decision regarding the upcoming season, COVID-19 and to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said Wednesday in a statement provided by a team spokesman. “I told him that our staff and his teammates are always here for him. Sage will always be a Deacon.”
Wake Forest started preseason practices Aug. 6, and under the ACC’s new modified scheduling plan for football, will open the season Sept. 12 against powerful Clemson.
The Demon Deacons are left lacking for established receiving targets without Surratt’s considerable services.
Donovan Greene (13 catches and two touchdowns in four games last season), Stanford transfer Donald Stewart (14 career catches), and A.T. Perry (four catches and one touchdown last season) figure to be the top remaining options for Sam Hartman, who’s handling the Wake Forest quarterbacking duties again after Jamie Newman transferred to Georgia.
Surratt, who’s from Lincolnton, said Wednesday that his time with the Demon Deacons has “forever transformed my life,” as part of a number of thankful comments he offered in announcing his decision to opt out and go pro.
“Words can’t express my gratitude,” he wrote in the Twitter post. “My experience at Wake Forest has been extraordinary, and I leave with a humble and grateful heart. It has been my absolute privilege to suit up in the black and gold.”
Meanwhile, North Carolina football spokesman Jeremy Sharpe said Wednesday “nothing has changed” about star linebacker Chazz Surratt’s intention to play for the Tar Heels this season. Chazz Surratt is Sage Surratt’s older brother.
On a Tuesday video conference with reporters, Tar Heels coach Mack Brown said defensive coordinator Jay Bateman has been experimenting with moving Chazz Surratt from linebacker to defensive end in pass-rushing situations during practices.
Here’s a list of the ACC players who have opted out of the upcoming football season:
Duke
Brandon Hill (linebacker), Myles Hudzick (running back), Jacob Rimmer (offensive lineman), Ben Wyatt (long snapper)
Florida State
Dennis Briggs Jr. (defensive tackle), Jamarcus Chatman (defensive end)
Georgia Tech
Devin Cochran (offensive lineman)
Miami
Greg Rousseau (defensive end)
North Carolina
D.J. Ford (defensive back), Tristan Miller (offensive lineman), Javon Terry (cornerback), Bryce Watts (cornerback)
Pittsburgh
Jaylen Twyman (defensive tackle)
Syracuse
Cooper Dawson (defensive lineman)
Virginia Tech
Caleb Farley (cornerback)
Wake Forest
Sage Surratt (receiver)
This article originally appeared on Times-News: Wake Forest receiver Sage Surratt opts out of season, declares for NFL Draft
