Sage

Surratt

The team also cut tight end Sage Surratt and defensive end Andrew Brown. A sith-round pick in 2019, Egbule has seen most of his run on special teams while in LA. He only appeared in three games last year, totaling two combined tackles with a QB hit in the process.

At 6'3/215, Surratt is somewhere between a wide receiver and a tight end. He was in and out of the lineup for the Stallions, totaling 11 catches for 148 yards. Surratt signed with the Lions after going undrafted in 2021 but was unable to crack their 53-man squad. The Wake Forest alum is a long shot to make the Chargers’ final roster, but the same could have been said for Donald Parham, who has become a role player for Los Angeles after his stint in the XFL.

Surratt was productive at Wake Forest but went undrafted after running a 4.7 40. Given the Detroit’s barren wide receiver depth chart, his release is not a promising sign for his NFL career. The Lions also waived/released WR Geronimo Allison, K Randy Bullock,CB Corn Elder, K Zane Gonzalez, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, LB Tavante Beckett, LB Rashod Berry, S Jalen Elliott, DT Bruce Hector, G Tommy Kraemer, TE Alize Mack, WR Javon McKinley, RB Dedrick Mills, T Darrin Paulo, RB Craig Reynolds, LB Jahlani Tavai, TE Brock Wright, DE Jashon Cornell.

Surratt (6'3/215) used his large frame to overpower cornerbacks and lead all Power 5 receivers with 1,001 receiving yards through nine games in 2019 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury and opting out of 2020 altogether. His background as a basketball player is transparent on tape, often showing him win at the catch point (18-of-30 on contested catch situations in 2019) and pick up any additional yards via his physicality. Although it’s unlikely Surratt beats press coverage in the NFL given his slow 4.70 40-speed, he can be used on fades and back shoulder throws as a “big” slot option (think Preston Williams or Devin Funchess) to help move the chains. He lands in arguably the best situation possible based solely on the lack of competition on Detroit’s depth chart.

While we have yet to see any sort of mass exodus of quarterbacks when it comes to opt outs, it’s a different story with receivers. Surratt (6'3/215) is just the latest wideout to say no mas to the coming campaign, joining Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman, Purdue’s Rondale Moore and Colorado State’s Warren Jackson among the major names at the position who are now prepping for the draft. For his part, Surratt logged a slick 66-1001-11 receiving line last season (even despite missing multiple games due to injury) and could potentially land as a Day 1 selection in the spring should the evaluating process break right for him. Surratt, Bateman and Moore are all potential first-round picks.

“As a redshirt sophomore (in 2019), [Surratt] tore up the field with big-time power and physicality in his routes and after the catch,” Miller writes of the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, later adding that Surratt’s “play above the rim” traits were the best he’s seen in his early film watch for the prospective 2021 receiver class. Miller ranks Surratt as the No. 14 player for next spring on his latest big board. And man is he gaga compared to one of his fellow evaluators. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. not only opts to keep Surratt out of his own big board, he also does not list him among the top six receivers in the class. Last season, Surratt posted a 66-1001-11 receiving line, this even despite missing multiple down-the-stretch games due to injury.

Surratt (6'3/215) was absolutely scorching through the first two months of the campaign before an undisclosed injury knocked him out of action in early November. Even missing multiple games, the redshirt sophomore ended up with a slick 66-1001-11 receiving line for the fall. His return to Wake Forest for 2020 is a huge get-back for a program which has done nice work to build up a fun little offense.

Surratt (6'3/215) possibly not being available for Saturday’s game is big news for the Demon Deacons, as he has been the team’s best (and most consistent) wide receiver. The redshirt sophomore, who scored twice in this past weekend’s loss to Virginia Tech, has caught 66 passes for 1,001 yards and 11 touchdowns. More will be known of his status for Saturday later in the week.

Surratt (6'3/215) wasn’t listed on this week’s depth chart, which wasn’t viewed as a guarantee that he would not be able to play in Saturday’s game at Clemson. But on Tuesday afternoon HC Dave Clawson announced that the redshirt sophomore will not play again this season due to injury. Surratt, who scored twice in last weekend’s loss at Virginia Tech, finishes 2019 with a receiving stat line of 66-1,001-11. Kendall Hinton will lead the way at wide receiver for the remainder of this season, with Waydale Jones among those expected to produce more than they have for much of 2019.

Surratt (6'3/215) is now one of only a handful of 1000-yard receivers in the FBS and almost single-handedly kept Wake Forest in the game until Virginia Tech pulled away in the fourth quarter. Surratt currently ranks fifth nationally in receiving yards with 1001, and also fifth in touchdown receptions with 11. He has replaced Greg Dortch’s role in the Demon Deacons fast-paced offense and then-some, as the surging Surratt is challenging for all-america status. Wake Forest has the pleasure of traveling to play Clemson next Saturday.