Wake Forest Athletics
Demon Deacons Welcome Summer Enrollees
6/19/2023 12:16:00 PM | Football
The Wake Forest football team had 17 players officially join the team Monday as they started summer classes.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – With football less than 100 days away, the Wake Forest football team has added a new infusion of talent to the roster. The Demon Deacons welcome 16 summer enrollees that started classes Monday.
The list of Deacs who joined the roster this summer includes 14 freshman enrollees: OL Uber Ajongo (Ottawa, Ontario/Phillips Exeter Academy), TE Landen Baker (Elm City, NC/Southern Nash), P Tyler Black (Goochland, VA / Goochland), QB Charlie Gilliam (McDonough, GA / Eagles Landing Christian Academy), LB Jaquez Keyes (Ironton, OH / Ironton), WR Micah Mays Jr. (Palm Beach Gardens, FL / The Benjamin School), OL Devin McRae (McRae, GA / Telfair County HS), QB Tyler Mizzell (Denver, NC/East Lincoln), OL George Steih (Franklin, TN / Grace Christian Academy), DB William Tackie Jr. (Durham, NC/Hillsdale), DB Rushuan Tongue (Pasadena, MD / Chesapeake), DL Tyler Walton (Suwanee, GA / North Gwinnett), DB Travon West (Piedmont, SC / Wren) and LB Brooks Yurachek (Fayetteville, Ark./Fayetteville).
Transfers DL Nick Helbig (Groton, Conn./Fitch/Wesleyan) and DB Demarcus Rankin (Lancaster, TX/Ferris/Notre Dame College) also enrolled in classes for the summer semester.
Meet the Demon Deacons
Uber Ajongo | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Ottawa, Ontario/Phillips Exeter Academy
Played final season at the Phillips Exeter Academy, suiting up at left tackle while also playing along the defensive line…Helped lead the Big Red to a 7-1 record in his lone season…Had previously played with Gridiron Academy in Canada…Started playing football in 2018.
Personal: Son of Mary Abanga ... Born May 16, 2004 in Ottawa, Canada…Family is originally from South Sudan, but moved to Ottawa, Canada in 2001…Moved to England in 2012 before moving back to Canada in 2016…Has five siblings, four brothers and one sister.
Landen Baker | TE | 6-4 | 220 | Elm City, NC/Southern Nash
Had almost half (13) of the Firebirds' receptions this past season for a team-leading 385 yards and nine touchdowns (out of 12)...Added 91 yards rushing and two scores on nine carries as the Firebirds reached the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs before falling to state runner-up Northern Nash…Recorded 16 tackles and one sack as a senior…Also recruited at the Division-I level as a baseball player with a fastball in the high 80s with a Perfect Game player rating of 9/10 (Potential top 10 round pick and/or highest level college prospect).
Tyler Black | P | 5-10 | 175 | Goochland, VA / Goochland
Ranked 19th in the nation by Kohl's and was 5-star kicker and a 4.5-star punter … 2021: Received Virginia 3A Second Team All-State honors … Also notched First Team All-Region honors as a kicker and Second Team All-Region honors as a punter … Connected on 4-of-6 field goal attempts with a long of 38, went 26-of-31 on PATs.
Personal: Son of Melissa (Mother) and Tom (Father) … Born Feb. 18, 2005 … Two-time state champion in the pole vault after placing 6th as a freshman.
Nick Helbig | DL | 6-2 | 275 | Groton, Conn./Fitch/Wesleyan
Prior to Wake Forest
Career
2022 Joe Zabilski Award winning, New England's top defensive player in Divisions II and III…2021 NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year…Earned a spot on the Division II/III All-New England Team during his final two seasons…Selected First Team All-NESCAC three times…Wrapped up a three-year playing career (his sophomore year was the canceled 2020 season due to COVID) with 127 tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss and 21.0 sacks to go along with seven forced fumbles in 26 games played.
2022
Racked up 39 tackles (20 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and five forced fumbles which led the nation at the end of the regular season.
2021
Totaled 50 tackles (33 solo), 11.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
2020
Sophomore year was the canceled 2020 season due to COVID.
2019
Tallied 38 tackles (19 solo), 13.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
High School
Before starting football as a junior, he also played baseball, soccer, basketball, and track. He also was an accomplished musician on the saxophone and clarinet, making the all-region jazz band twice and being section leader in a nationally ranked marching band.
Personal
Studied Economics at Wesleyan…Plans to work in finance as well as continue to work in the marine industry like the rest of his family.
Charlie Gilliam | QB | 6-3 | 180 | McDonough, GA / Eagles Landing Christian Academy
Completed 497 passes for 4,271 yards (53 percent completion percentage) and 45 touchdowns throughout his storied career at Eagles Landing Christian Academy making him the leading passer in school history… Also added 10 touchdowns on the ground…named an All Region and All State player in GA and a team captain…rated a three-star by 247sports … 2022: Completed 121-of-200 passes for 2,044 yards and 26 touchdowns in 12 games… Completed passes at a 60.5 percent clip… Averaged 170.3 passing yards per game… Carried the ball 61 times, finding the end zone on three occasions…
2021: Went 132-of-271 through the air for 2,098 yards (161.4 per game) and 18 touchdowns in 13 contests… Added seven rushing touchdowns…led team to the state semifinals… 2020: Appeared in six games, tallying 113 yards and the first passing touchdown of his career.
Personal: Son of Chuck and Julie Gilliam … Born on Nov. 11, 2004.
Jaquez Keyes | LB | 6-1 | 205 | Ironton, OH / Ironton
During his senior season in 2022, Keyes earned both OHSAA All-State and OHSAA All-District honors while helping lead Ironton to the Division V state football championship… Defensively, he tallied 56 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks…Totaled a little over 1,000 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns out of the backfield, totaling 126 points and averaging 6.3 yards per carry…Tallied 152 yards and scored three of the final four touchdowns for Ironton in the win in the 2022 state semifinal game…Ran for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior on just 94 carries, averaging nearly 11.5 yards per carry.
Personal: Son of Jermaine Keyes (father), Rebecca Keyes (Stepmother), and Dana Green (mother) ... Born April 25, 2004.
Micah Mays Jr. | WR | 6-2 | 185 | Palm Beach Gardens, FL / The Benjamin School
U.S. Army All-American Game selection … Ranked as a four-star prospect by 247Sports, the No. 163 player nationally and the No. 23 wide receiver in the country … As a senior, caught 27 passes for 503 yards and nine touchdowns in 10 games, helping lead a young The Benjamin School squad to a 5-5 record and an appearance in the first round of Florida's 1M playoffs … USA Today Florida Network Top 100 player … As a junior, caught 42 passes for 724 yards (17.3 average) and seven touchdowns, helping The Benjamin School go 8-2 and made the second round of Sunshine State's 3A playoffs … Three-sport athlete in basketball, football and track & field … Captured gold at Florida's 1A track meet as a junior in both the 400-meter dash and triple jump … Also placed 3rd in the high jump (6'1.5") at states while anchoring a 4x400 squad that captured a regional title a few weeks prior … Clocked a personal-best 400-meter dash (47.52) and triple jump (45'11.75") at Florida's 1A meet … As a sophomore, was a state qualifier in the 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, high jump and triple jump.
Personal: Son of Micah Mays Sr. and Rachelle Mays .... His father played quarterback at Grambling State and was also the head coach at Lake Worth High School and the Athletics Director at Palm Beach Lakes…Born on Feb. 6, 2005.
Devin McRae | OL | 6-4 | 265 | McRae, GA / Telfair County HS
Led the team to a 9-3 record, the second most wins in school history in 2022 … Additionally, it was the first home playoff game and win in 29 years … Named All-State and 4A All-Region on the offensive line … As a junior, earned all-state recognition from the Atlanta Journal Constitution in Georgia's A Public classification … Two-way player for Telfair County. Started at RT … Participated in the Georgia All-Star Classic.
Personal: Son of Rena McRae and Lakeith McRae Born… on March 22, 2005.
Tyler Mizzell | QB | 6-1 | 170 | Denver, NC/East Lincoln
Tallied 3,385 total yards of offense and posted 51 total touchdowns while helping East Lincoln to an undefeated 16-0 season and a NCHSAA State Championship…Earned HighSchoolOT All-State honorable mention honors…Named State Championship MVP while also earning the Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team Gaston Gazette…2022 Academic All-America by High School Football America.
Demarcus Rankin | DB | 6-0 | 180 | Lancaster, TX/Ferris/Notre Dame College
Prior to Wake Forest
2022
Played in all 12 games during the 2022 season, helping lead Notre Dame College to an impressive 9-3 record including a perfect 5-0 mark at home and a 9-1 record in conference, winning a MEC title in his final season with the Falcons…Totaled 17 tackles including 14 solo tackles while also having eight pass deflections and two interceptions.
2021
Played in nine games during the 2021 season, helping lead Notre Dame College to an 11-2 record, winning the MEC conference title, recording a perfect 7-0 record at home and earning a berth in the Division II Playoffs…Recorded 13 solo tackles and 15 total tackles... Broke up five passes, tied for second on the team.
2020
Freshman year was the canceled 2020 season due to COVID.
High School:
Played both wide receiver and defensive back at Ferris High School.
George Steih | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Franklin, TN / Grace Christian Academy
Team captain … Played on both the offensive and defensive line in high school for his final three years … Three-year letterman … Helped anchor Grace Christian Academy's offensive line as they totaled 1,505 passing yards and 824 rushing yards during his senior season … Tallied a total of 142 tackles, 24 tackles-for-loss, 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal on defense over the course of his career … Had a breakout junior season on the defensive line totaling a team-high 69 tackles, 19 tackles-for-loss, 10.5 sacks and three forced fumbles … Named first team Division II Single A All Region defensive line both junior and senior year, and first team All Region offensive line senior year. Invited to the TN East West All-Star Game. All-State DL as a junior.
Personal: Son of Lacey (Mother) and Will (Father) … Born October 26, 2004.
William Tackie, Jr. | DB | 5-10 | 165 | Durham, NC/Hillsdale
Ran a high school personal-best 10.48 100 meter dash in 2022…Missed his final season due to injury…During his high school career, played at defensive back, wide receiver and running back while also being a primary returner for Hillsdale…Totaled 155 return yards as a junior during the 2021 season…Collected 25 total tackles including 14 solo tackles during his junior season while also having a tackle for loss and six pass deflections.
Rushuan Tongue | DB | 6-1 | 180 | Pasadena, MD / Chesapeake
Played on both sides of the ball over three years on varsity at Chesapeake High… Tallied 77 tackles and eight interceptions over his high school career, including three defensive touchdowns at safety… Caught 33 career passes for 657 yards and 13 touchdowns… 2022: Earned First-Team All-County honors at the safety position… Finished his senior season with 41 tackles and a team-high four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) in 10 games… Also led the Cougars in total touchdowns (12), receptions (17), and receiving yards (350)... Handled kick and punt returning duties for a combined 281 yards and two touchdowns… 2021: First-Team All-County cornerback …Helped lead his team to a semifinal appearance in the Maryland 3A Playoffs… Finished with a team-high four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) in addition to 36 tackles his junior year… Led the team with 14 receptions for 307 yards (21.9 YPC) and four touchdowns… Returned one of his three kickoff returns for a touchdown… Ranked as the No. 19 recruit out of the state of Maryland by 247Sports.
Personal: Son of Nichola (mother) and Russell (father) Tongue… Born on December 14, 2004.. Also played basketball for Chesapeake High.
Tyler Walton | DL | 6-5 | 240 | Suwanee, GA / North Gwinnett
Team Captain … Played two years on varsity at North Gwinnett High School… Recorded 101 tackles, 35 tackles-for-loss and 16 sacks in 20 career games… 2022: Helped lead his team to a 10-3 record (6-0 in district play) and a trip to the quarterfinals of the Georgia Class 7A playoffs… Tallied 54 tackles (6.0 per game), 18 tackles-for-loss (2.0 per game), eight sacks and a forced fumble in nine appearances during his senior season… 2021: Racked up 47 tackles, 17 tackles-for-loss, eight sacks, a team-high three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his junior campaign… Earned an appearance in the second round of the playoffs.
Personal: Son of Sharonda (mother) and Branton (father) Walton… Born on February 23, 2005
Travon West | CB | 5-11 | 165 | Piedmont, SC / Wren
Spent two years at T.L. Hanna High School before transferring to Wren… Played on both sides of the ball as a running back and safety in four years of varsity action… Tallied career totals of 173 tackles, six interceptions, 16 pass deflections and two forced fumbles in 33 career games… Ran for 788 yards (6.0 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns… Handled kick and punt return duties his junior and senior seasons… 2022: Finished third on the team with 73 tackles and a tackle for loss… Had a team-high nine pass deflections… Led the team with 602 rushing yards (5.6 per carry) and eight touchdowns in addition to a receiving touchdown and a punt return touchdown… 2021: Had a team-high five interceptions and five pass deflections in addition to 57 tackles during his junior season… Tallied 171 yards and three touchdowns on just 24 carries… Returned a kickoff for a touchdown… Helped his team to the second round of the South Carolina 3A playoffs… 2020: Recorded 30 tackles and two pass deflections as the only sophomore on the defense… Had one rush for 15 yards… 2019: Tallied 13 tackles and an interception as a freshman… Ranked as the No. 28 recruit out of the state of South Carolina.
Personal: Son of Ebonee Patterson (mother) and Travis West (father)… Born on November 12, 2004
Brooks Yurachek | LB | 6-1 | 215 | Fayetteville, Ark./Fayetteville
Helped lead Fayetteville to the Class 7A state semifinals in 2022…Named 7A All-State in 2022…Averaged more than 10 tackles per game during his senior season, leading his team in total tackles…Finished his senior year with 109 total tackles including 48 solo tackles while also having 16.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception…As a junior, finished the season with 63 tackles including 4.0 tackles for loss while also having 1.0 sacks, four pass breakups and two interceptions.
Personal: Son of Hunter Yurachek (father) and Jennifer Yurachek (mother)…Father is currently the vice chancellor and director of athletics at the University of Arkansas and was previously the director of athletics at Houston and Coastal Carolina…Brother, Jake, began his career as a linebacker at Colorado, before transferring and spending his final three seasons at Arkansas…Brother, Ryan, played tight end at Marshall (2014-17), earning first-team All-Conference USA recognition in his senior season. He spent time in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders (2018, practice squad) and Dallas Cowboys (2019, offseason roster) and is currently working as a GA at Arkansas.
