Five Demon Deacons Enrolled at Wake Forest; Wake Forest Adds Transfer Kobie Turner to Roster
1/10/2022 6:30:00 PM | Football
Four signees from last month’s signing day have enrolled at Wake Forest, while Dave Clawson has added Richmond transfer Kobie Turner to the 2022 roster.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest has received a jolt of depth and talent for spring football as the Demon Deacons have welcomed four mid-year enrollees to campus for the spring semester. Additionally, Richmond transfer Kobie Turner has officially enrolled at the University.
Here is a snapshot of the new Demon Deacons on campus:
Brett Griffis | QB | 6-0 | 187 | Ashburn, VA / Broad Run
Led the Spartans to a 17-4 mark over the past two years … 2021: Earned Offensive Player of the Year honors on the All-Region 4C football team, First Team All-Region Quarterback and First Team All-Conference Quarterback … Statistically threw for 3,053 yards (226-of-320) and 32 touchdowns with just three interceptions … Rushed for 1,117 yards and 20 touchdowns on 158 carries as a senior … Helped lead Broad Run to become Region 4C Champions… Broad Run is currently in the state semifinals with a 13-2 record… 2020: In its COVID-shortened six-game season, he led Broad Run to a 4-2 record … Ranked as the No. 29 prospect in Virginia and the No. 65 quarterback nationally by 247Sports … Also played basketball at Broad Run.
Personal: Son of Robyn (Mother) and Matthew Griffis (Father) … Brother Mitch just finished his second year at Wake Forest in 2021 … Born March. 5, 2004 … Father is the head football coach at Broad Run … Plans to major in Communication.
Elijah Hall | DL | 6-3 | 262 | Shelby, NC / Crest
Highest-rated defensive recruit in the Dave Clawson era according to 247 Sports … Four-star recruit by Rivals … 2021: In six games this season, recorded 32 total tackles (24 solo) including 8.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks … Led his team to a 10-3 record with Crest winning the league in two of his final three seasons … Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas selection … Carolina Bowl Watch List … 2020: Finished his junior season with 40 tackles (nine for a loss), six sacks and 19 quarterback hurries in a COVID-19 shortened spring season, earning Big South 3A co-Defensive Lineman of the Year honors … 2019: Ended his breakout sophomore campaign with 52 total tackles including 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, a 58-yard interception return, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … Also on offense, carried the ball for 28 yards and caught one pass for 23 yards .... Played three years of varsity basketball as well before focusing on football.
Personal: Family: Grandson of Linda (Grandmother) and Chris Howard (Grandfather) ... Son of Lovy Hall (Mother) and Ashley Young (Father) ... Nephew of Yolanda Hall-Asbell (Aunt) and Stacey Asbell (Uncle)...Born on July 21, 2003.
Derrell Johnson II | OL | 6-3 | 272 | Jacksonville, FL / Riverside
Helped Riverside to a 35-11 record over the course of his four years at Riverside … Garnered 6A All-State Team honors … Selected by the USA Today Network as a 2021 Pre-Spring Super 11 prospect for the Northeast Florida region … Two-time All-Gateway Conference Team honoree … Named a 2020 Jacksonville.com All-First Coast Second Team selection … Ranked as the No. 110 prospect in Florida and the No. 39 offensive lineman nationally by 247Sports … Thrower on the track and field team that was a district qualifier in the shot put and discus.
Personal: Son of Rosalyn (Mother) and Derrell Johnson, Sr. (Father) … Mother is the Athletic Director at Riverside and Father is a high school football coach … Has a brother, Shaquille Johnson, and sister, Janasia Law … Born Jun. 21, 2003.
Jalen Swindell | DL | 6-2 | 316 | Charlotte, NC / Julius L. Chambers
Has helped Chambers High School to a 51-6 record during his four years in high school … 2021: Garnered Academic All-State honors … Helped Chambers to the No. 50 ranking in the country and the No. 2 ranking in the state of North Carolina … Chambers was the state runner-up with a record of 14-2 … Missed most of the season due to injury … 2020: Totaled 42 tackles including 27 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks during his junior season … Most Outstanding Defensive player during Chambers High School's 2020 State Championship with six tackles, including a sack and 2.5 tackles for a loss … Helped lead Chambers to back-to-back State Championships in 2020 and 2019 as a junior and sophomore.
Personal: Son of Patrice Grice (mother) … Born May 21, 2004 … Plans to major in Health and Exercise Science
Kobie Turner | DL | 6-3 | 290 | Clifton, VA / Centreville / Richmond
Prior to Wake Forest: Three-time All-American and All-Colonial Athletic Association honoree, including two-straight First Team All-Conference selections … Team All-CAA honors (2021 spring, 2021 fall) … Named CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the 2021 spring season … Played in 37 career games, including 27-straight starts at the end of 2021 … Tallied 158 tackles, including 65 solo and 93 assisted … Registered 33.5 tackles for loss and 15.0 sacks … Forced three fumbles and recovered three fumbles.
High School: Two-year starter at Centreville … First-Team All-District honors for both the offensive and defensive lines … Second-Team USA Today's All-Virginia OL … Second-Team All-State 6A OL/DL … Part of the 2013 State title when Centreville went undefeated … State runner up in 2014 (13-2)
Personal: Son of Lamar (father) and Latesa (mother) Turner … Brothers (Lamar and AJ), Sister (Olivia)
Here is a snapshot of the new Demon Deacons on campus:
Brett Griffis | QB | 6-0 | 187 | Ashburn, VA / Broad Run
Led the Spartans to a 17-4 mark over the past two years … 2021: Earned Offensive Player of the Year honors on the All-Region 4C football team, First Team All-Region Quarterback and First Team All-Conference Quarterback … Statistically threw for 3,053 yards (226-of-320) and 32 touchdowns with just three interceptions … Rushed for 1,117 yards and 20 touchdowns on 158 carries as a senior … Helped lead Broad Run to become Region 4C Champions… Broad Run is currently in the state semifinals with a 13-2 record… 2020: In its COVID-shortened six-game season, he led Broad Run to a 4-2 record … Ranked as the No. 29 prospect in Virginia and the No. 65 quarterback nationally by 247Sports … Also played basketball at Broad Run.
Personal: Son of Robyn (Mother) and Matthew Griffis (Father) … Brother Mitch just finished his second year at Wake Forest in 2021 … Born March. 5, 2004 … Father is the head football coach at Broad Run … Plans to major in Communication.
Elijah Hall | DL | 6-3 | 262 | Shelby, NC / Crest
Highest-rated defensive recruit in the Dave Clawson era according to 247 Sports … Four-star recruit by Rivals … 2021: In six games this season, recorded 32 total tackles (24 solo) including 8.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks … Led his team to a 10-3 record with Crest winning the league in two of his final three seasons … Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas selection … Carolina Bowl Watch List … 2020: Finished his junior season with 40 tackles (nine for a loss), six sacks and 19 quarterback hurries in a COVID-19 shortened spring season, earning Big South 3A co-Defensive Lineman of the Year honors … 2019: Ended his breakout sophomore campaign with 52 total tackles including 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, a 58-yard interception return, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … Also on offense, carried the ball for 28 yards and caught one pass for 23 yards .... Played three years of varsity basketball as well before focusing on football.
Personal: Family: Grandson of Linda (Grandmother) and Chris Howard (Grandfather) ... Son of Lovy Hall (Mother) and Ashley Young (Father) ... Nephew of Yolanda Hall-Asbell (Aunt) and Stacey Asbell (Uncle)...Born on July 21, 2003.
Derrell Johnson II | OL | 6-3 | 272 | Jacksonville, FL / Riverside
Helped Riverside to a 35-11 record over the course of his four years at Riverside … Garnered 6A All-State Team honors … Selected by the USA Today Network as a 2021 Pre-Spring Super 11 prospect for the Northeast Florida region … Two-time All-Gateway Conference Team honoree … Named a 2020 Jacksonville.com All-First Coast Second Team selection … Ranked as the No. 110 prospect in Florida and the No. 39 offensive lineman nationally by 247Sports … Thrower on the track and field team that was a district qualifier in the shot put and discus.
Personal: Son of Rosalyn (Mother) and Derrell Johnson, Sr. (Father) … Mother is the Athletic Director at Riverside and Father is a high school football coach … Has a brother, Shaquille Johnson, and sister, Janasia Law … Born Jun. 21, 2003.
Jalen Swindell | DL | 6-2 | 316 | Charlotte, NC / Julius L. Chambers
Has helped Chambers High School to a 51-6 record during his four years in high school … 2021: Garnered Academic All-State honors … Helped Chambers to the No. 50 ranking in the country and the No. 2 ranking in the state of North Carolina … Chambers was the state runner-up with a record of 14-2 … Missed most of the season due to injury … 2020: Totaled 42 tackles including 27 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks during his junior season … Most Outstanding Defensive player during Chambers High School's 2020 State Championship with six tackles, including a sack and 2.5 tackles for a loss … Helped lead Chambers to back-to-back State Championships in 2020 and 2019 as a junior and sophomore.
Personal: Son of Patrice Grice (mother) … Born May 21, 2004 … Plans to major in Health and Exercise Science
Kobie Turner | DL | 6-3 | 290 | Clifton, VA / Centreville / Richmond
Prior to Wake Forest: Three-time All-American and All-Colonial Athletic Association honoree, including two-straight First Team All-Conference selections … Team All-CAA honors (2021 spring, 2021 fall) … Named CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the 2021 spring season … Played in 37 career games, including 27-straight starts at the end of 2021 … Tallied 158 tackles, including 65 solo and 93 assisted … Registered 33.5 tackles for loss and 15.0 sacks … Forced three fumbles and recovered three fumbles.
High School: Two-year starter at Centreville … First-Team All-District honors for both the offensive and defensive lines … Second-Team USA Today's All-Virginia OL … Second-Team All-State 6A OL/DL … Part of the 2013 State title when Centreville went undefeated … State runner up in 2014 (13-2)
Personal: Son of Lamar (father) and Latesa (mother) Turner … Brothers (Lamar and AJ), Sister (Olivia)
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ FootballFootball Media Availability (12/23/25)
Tuesday, December 23
Wake Forest Women's Basketball Highlights vs Gardner-Webb (Dec. 22, 2025)
Monday, December 22
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser vs. Vanderbilt
Sunday, December 21
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser vs. Longwood
Thursday, December 18