Wake Forest Athletics
Grimes Making Most of Opportunity in Year Two
6/22/2023 12:37:00 PM | Football
“I’ve been getting better everyday and just getting more comfortable with the offense.” - Wesley Grimes
The Wake Forest wide receiver room is deep and talented, as always. With a handful of those sure to be on the two-deep depth chart out with minor injuries. During spring camp, talented 6-foot-2 sophomore Wesley Grimes was the beneficiary of hundreds of meaningful reps with the first and second string offense.
"It's been good," Grimes said during camp. "I've been getting better everyday and just getting more comfortable with the offense.
"It's helping me a lot. It's helping me get better, especially going against the first-team defense. The competition with these corners are pushing me to improve. And I'm learning the playbook and getting familiar with the plays. More reps are helping me overall get more comfortable."
While Grimes will still have the opportunity to grow playing beside upperclassmen like Donavon Greene, Taylor Morin and Jahmal Banks, last season ended up being his only year with A.T. Perry, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.
"I looked up to AT and he taught me a lot," Grimes said. "Everytime I had a question, he would help me with what I needed to fix and the details I needed to attend to for my game to improve. I appreciated him during my year with him. He helped me a lot.
"His journey was interesting. He had a slow start, then when he got the opportunity he took full advantage of it. I'm looking to use all the advice he gives me to improve my game."
Throwing passes this season to Grimes will be fourth-year redshirt sophomore Mitch Griffis, who started in the season opener against VMI a year ago — a game in which Grimes had his first collegiate reception.
"We have a really good connection," Grimes said. "He trusts me and I trust him. Our receivers and quarterbacks like to mix it up and throw with everybody. Mitch and I talk a lot and watch film together often."
The biggest transition for Grimes going from Millbrook (Raleigh, NC) High School to Wake Forest has been digging deep into the playbook and not just relying quite so heavily on his pure physical and skill advantages.
"It's my football IQ," he said about what aspect of his game has grown the most since arriving on campus. "When I played high school, we didn't have to know much about the opposing defense. We didn't have different calls and plays. We were pretty basic. That part has been a big change, and I've definitely grown a lot in that area.
"When I first started playing varsity, my body language was on the downside. I would get frustrated with myself. I have high expectations for myself, and when I'm not meeting those expectations, I get down on myself. I want to clean up my body language, stay positive and take it just one rep at a time."
Another big change for the receivers in 2023 is the arrival of Ari Confesor as the new position coach, as Kevin Higgins takes on a general manager role for the program.
"It's going well," Grimes said about Confesor. "He's a great coach and knows what he's talking about. He and coach Higgins have a different coaching style, but they're great coaches. What he tells us helps us all. He's making a big impact already."
Grimes had four receptions for 33 yards last season, finding the end zone in the Wake Forest 45-10 victory over Army. He's yet another important weapon in a loaded wide receiver room filled with returning talent and promising prospects.
"It's exciting," Grimes said. "Our recruiting classes just keep getting better and better. Deuce (Alexander) is doing a great job of adjusting to the offense, and I'm confident Micah Mays is going to come in and impress. We're all going to help them transition to college, both on the field and in the classroom."
"It's been good," Grimes said during camp. "I've been getting better everyday and just getting more comfortable with the offense.
"It's helping me a lot. It's helping me get better, especially going against the first-team defense. The competition with these corners are pushing me to improve. And I'm learning the playbook and getting familiar with the plays. More reps are helping me overall get more comfortable."
While Grimes will still have the opportunity to grow playing beside upperclassmen like Donavon Greene, Taylor Morin and Jahmal Banks, last season ended up being his only year with A.T. Perry, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.
"I looked up to AT and he taught me a lot," Grimes said. "Everytime I had a question, he would help me with what I needed to fix and the details I needed to attend to for my game to improve. I appreciated him during my year with him. He helped me a lot.
"His journey was interesting. He had a slow start, then when he got the opportunity he took full advantage of it. I'm looking to use all the advice he gives me to improve my game."
Throwing passes this season to Grimes will be fourth-year redshirt sophomore Mitch Griffis, who started in the season opener against VMI a year ago — a game in which Grimes had his first collegiate reception.
"We have a really good connection," Grimes said. "He trusts me and I trust him. Our receivers and quarterbacks like to mix it up and throw with everybody. Mitch and I talk a lot and watch film together often."
The biggest transition for Grimes going from Millbrook (Raleigh, NC) High School to Wake Forest has been digging deep into the playbook and not just relying quite so heavily on his pure physical and skill advantages.
"It's my football IQ," he said about what aspect of his game has grown the most since arriving on campus. "When I played high school, we didn't have to know much about the opposing defense. We didn't have different calls and plays. We were pretty basic. That part has been a big change, and I've definitely grown a lot in that area.
"When I first started playing varsity, my body language was on the downside. I would get frustrated with myself. I have high expectations for myself, and when I'm not meeting those expectations, I get down on myself. I want to clean up my body language, stay positive and take it just one rep at a time."
Another big change for the receivers in 2023 is the arrival of Ari Confesor as the new position coach, as Kevin Higgins takes on a general manager role for the program.
"It's going well," Grimes said about Confesor. "He's a great coach and knows what he's talking about. He and coach Higgins have a different coaching style, but they're great coaches. What he tells us helps us all. He's making a big impact already."
Grimes had four receptions for 33 yards last season, finding the end zone in the Wake Forest 45-10 victory over Army. He's yet another important weapon in a loaded wide receiver room filled with returning talent and promising prospects.
"It's exciting," Grimes said. "Our recruiting classes just keep getting better and better. Deuce (Alexander) is doing a great job of adjusting to the offense, and I'm confident Micah Mays is going to come in and impress. We're all going to help them transition to college, both on the field and in the classroom."
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