Five Deacons Earn All-ACC Honors
11/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeFB)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest had five players selected to the All-ACC teams announced this afternoon by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
Placekicker Mike Weaver was the lone Deacon named to the All-ACC first team while senior linebacker Marquel Lee and redshirt freshman safety Jessie Bates III were each named to the second team defense.
Redshirt junior defensive end Duke Ejiofor was named to the third team at defensive end while freshman punter Dom Maggio was an honorable mention selection.
Weaver has converted 19 of 25 field goals this season and all 24 PATs. He leads the team in scoring with 81 points and is seventh in the ACC in scoring.
Weaver is the first Demon Deacon placekicker to earn first team All-ACC honors since Sam Swank in 2006.
Lee and Bates have combined to lead the Deacon defense in tackles in all 12 games this season. Lee has 98 tackles including a team-high 19 tackles for loss. His 7.5 sacks is second on the club to Ejiofor. Lee leads the team with three forced fumbles and four quarterback hurries.
Bates leads the team with five interceptions and is tied for eighth in the nation in interceptions. He is one of just eight players at the FBS level with two touchdown returns on interceptions this season and the only freshman. Bates' 158 interception return yards are the fifth-most in the country. Bates is second on the Deacon team with 93 tackles.
Ejiofor has 10 sacks on the season, tied for the second-most in a season in school history. He has 44 total tackles on the season, 15 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumbles recovered. Ejiofor is fourth in the ACC in sacks and tied for 16th in the nation.
Maggio is sixth in the ACC in punting average at 42.6 and is second in the nation in punting average among freshmen. Maggio averaged better than 40 yards per punt in eight of his 10 games this season and boomed 17 punts of 50 or more yards including an 80-yarder against Clemson.
