Wake Forest picked up on a position of need as the Demon Deacons sign edge rusher Tyler Walton.
The three-star recruit (per 247Sports Composite) is from North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia. He is 6-5, and 230 pounds. Defensive line coach Dave Cohen shepherded the recruiting process.
Wake is potentially losing multiple pieces on its offensive line. Kobie Turner has exhausted his eligibility. Jacorey Johns opted out of the Gasparilla Bowl, presumably to enter the NFL draft. Rondell Bothroyd has another year of eligibility left and has not made a formal announcement, but it is widely believed he will enter the NFL draft. Wake Forest has plenty of others with game experience, but the departures chip away at depth.
While Walton is primarily an edge rusher, he has also played on the inside, showing versatility. Over nine games last season, Walton registered 54 tackles with (18 for a loss. He had nine quarterback hurries and eight sacks according to stats compiled by MaxPreps. He was named All-Region. North Gwinett went to quarterfinals of Georgia’s AAAAAA playoffs. He also had 47 tackles and eight sacks in his junior year at North Gwinnett.
Walton had 11 offers through the recruiting process but has been committed to Wake Forest since April. The Demon Deacons beat out Duke, Memphis, Coastal Carolina, and Boston College among others to get him. Once he committed to Wake Forest, it ended his recruiting process to the point no one else extended offers.
