BY PETE OHNEGIAN
SAGE SURRAT
Wake Forest – WR
6-foot-3, 215 pounds
RS Junior / Opt out
SAGE SURRATT (INTRODUCTION)
The first day of the NFL Draft is for immediate impact players, young superstars that are paid millions of dollars to sign their contracts and asked to produce and excel as rookies.
However, the NFL is the best football league in the world and even some of the best college players need to develop at the highest level and adjust to the nuances of excelling on Sundays.
Wake Forest RS Junior wide receiver, Sage Surratt may not get his name called on Day 1 of the NFL Draft, but he is an elite athlete that will be an asset for a fortunate NFL team who chooses him.
YOUNGER YEARS (DUAL THREAT)
Sage Surratt was an elite athlete in two sports coming out of East Lincoln High School in North Carolina. Many high school and college basketball coaches were surprised Surratt was going to forego a future in hoops and focus on football in college.
Surratt finished as the no. 2 scorer in state history with 2,951 career points, averaging 34.7 points per game.
The college football recruiters were also chomping at the bit to get Sage to their school because of his dominance on the gridiron as a senior. Surratt was the state career record holder in receptions (366) yards (5,926) and touchdown receptions (80).
He was voted N.C.’s AP Offensive Player of the Year after catching 129 passes for 2,104 yards, both State records and scoring 29 touchdowns as a senior.
COLLEGE CAREER (WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY)
Surratt redshirted his true freshman season in Winston Salem, NC. As a redshirt freshman, Surratt was the Demon Deacons second leading receiver with 41 receptions for 581 yards and four touchdowns.
As a sophomore, Surratt was named the Fred Biletnikoff Award Watch list for four weeks into his redshirt sophomore season.
He was named ACC Receiver of the Week in four out of the first eight weeks and finished the season with 1,001 yards on 66 receptions and 11 touchdowns.
Surratt amassed these stats despite only playing in nine games.
Surratt was named Semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award and First Team All ACC in his second college season.
His redshirt sophomore season was cut short due to a shoulder injury so he decided to forego this season to opt out and prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
STRENGTHS
Sage Surratt will be a physical, strong playmaker with great hands. You can count on him to win the 50/50 ball and make the stalk block on the perimeter to spring the running back into the second level of the defense.
He is a proficient route runner with a sharp football IQ, so he will find the holes in the zones and get open on third down.
He will produce first downs, touchdowns and make the contested catch with his size, great hands and athletic ability. Sage Surratt is a competitor.
WEAKNESSES
Surratt is not a burner. He will not be asked to stretch the field on a “go route” unless it is in man to man coverage as he will win the 1on1 jump ball. He has impressive size and physicality but lacks elusiveness and small space quickness.
Hopefully he has been working on his burst and lateral athleticism while he has opted out of his RS Junior season. If he can improve his cuts and twitch to accelerate faster, it will improve his playmaking ability.
He is currently working with a performance coach in South Florida to prepare for the NFL Draft. Surratt blocks well and has the “want to,” but he can improve on downfield stalk blocks in space by keeping his feet moving and utilizing better hand placement on the defender.
SUMMARY
Sage Surratt may not hear his name until day two of the NFL Draft, but he will be prepared to compete, produce and work hard to develop into an elite NFL wide receiver.
If the Eagles can draft Micah Parsons with the 6th pick of this year’s NFL Draft, and land Outland Trophy winner, Alex Leatherwood in round 2, Surratt will be a great pickup as the 6th pick in the 3rd round.
Surratt has been an elite athlete since he was young and handling his craft as a professional athlete will be no different than how he approached high school and college.
Sage was valedictorian for his high school class and he actually turned Harvard down to earn a Business degree at Wake Forest.
Choosing Surratt will be a smart pick for the Eagles! *
Pete Ohnegian is a former college football player at Lafayette, an Arena League Football League player, Performance Coach and actor. His movie appearances include "Any Given Sunday" and "The Replacements." Email Pete at peteohnegian@gmail.com
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Sage Surratt will be a physical, strong playmaker with great hands. Photo from godeacs.com
Sage Surratt could be a nice pick up for the receiver-starved Eagles in the second round.
Photo from godeacs.com
Headshot: Sage Surratt