Wake Forest Athletics
#ProDeacs: Seven Former Deacs Set to Compete in the NFL Playoffs
1/14/2022 3:35:00 PM | Football
The Super Wildcard Weekend slate features three games with Wake Forest players on both sides of the field, starting Saturday with the Cincinnati Bengals hosting the Las Vegas Raiders.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The push for Super LVI starts this weekend with seven #ProDeacs taking center stage during Super Wildcard Weekend.
The very first game of the weekend will see three former Demon Deacons square off as Jessie Bates III and the Cincinnati Bengals play host to Marquel Lee, Kyle Wilber and the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday. The 4:35 p.m. ET kickoff can be seen on NBC as well as Peacock and Universo.
That game will be followed by an AFC East showdown between Carlos 'Boogie' Basham Jr. and the Buffalo Bills take on Justin Herron and the New England Patriots. The game will air on CBS and Paramount+ at 8:15 p.m. ET.
The #ProDeacs final matchup of the weekend will conclude the NFL slate on Monday night at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN. John Wolford and the Los Angeles Rams play host to Greg Dortch and the Arizona Cardinals in a matchup of two NFC East rivals.
Division Champions
Three former Demon Deacon helped lift their teams to division titles this season.
In his first season in the league, second-round draft pick Carlos 'Boogie' Basham Jr. tallied 2.5 sacks, 4.0 tackles for loss and 18 total tackles in eight games, helping the Buffalo Bills to their second consecutive AFC East title.
Completing his fourth season with the franchise and his first as a team captain, Jessie Bate III led the Bengals to their first AFC North title since 2015, totaling 88 tackles in the regular season which was fourth-best on the team. He also hauled in his 13th career interception, taking it back for 65 yards and a near touchdown against the Jets in week eight.
John Wolford saw action in three games as the Los Angeles Rams backup this season, helping the franchise capture their first NFC West division title since he has been with the team. This will be the second playoff experience for Wolford who started the Wildcard game against Seattle last season before going down with an injury.
Practice Squad Signing
Two additional #ProDeacs will be helping their teams prepare for the playoffs this weekend as Scotty Washington resigned with the Bengals two weeks ago, this time at a new position. The former wide receiver has now made the transition to tight end and was added back to the practice squad on Dec. 28.
Fomer teammate of Washington's, Nate Gillam resigned to the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad on Jan. 8 after splitting the season with Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Chargers. The former #BeefBoy also spent the entire 2020 season with the Chargers on their practice sqaud.
#ProDeacs Wild Card Weekend Slate (All times eastern)
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Carlos 'Boogie' Basham (active roster)
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Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots (Saturday, 8:15 p.m., CBS)
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Jessie Bates III (active roster)
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Cincinnati Bengals vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Saturday 4:35 p.m., NBC)
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Greg Dortch (active roster)
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Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams (Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN)
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Justin Herron (active roster)
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New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills (Saturday, 8:15 p.m., CBS)
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Nate Gillam (practice squad)
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Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday 8:15 p.m., NBC)
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Marquel Lee (active roster)
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Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals (Saturday 4:35 p.m., NBC)
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Scotty Washington (practice squad)
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Cincinnati Bengals vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Saturday 4:35 p.m., NBC)
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Kyle Wilber (active roster)
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Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals (Saturday 4:35 p.m., NBC)
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John Wolford (active roster)
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Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals (Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN)
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