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We continue on with our Blogger So Dear Roundtable with Part II of our discussion on the Wake Forest football team.
Part I - Who will have a breakout season on offense?
Today we take a look at who will have a breakout year on the defensive side of the ball for the Demon Deacons.
Bart: Duke Ejiofor is definitely a popular answer (likely inspired in part by Rob's beautiful piece from last week), but that's who I'm going to put as the breakout player on defense. He's coming in with a lot of preseason hype, fresh off of a hot end to the 2015 season, and is likely to be one of the better defensive linemen in the conference. If Wake is going to make a bowl game this year then the defense has to create more turnovers and flip the field for Wolford and company. This starts with the front, anchored largely in part by Ejiofor.
Adam: I think Dionte Austin is set for a breakout year on the defensive side. He started the final four games of the season last year and had a season high 8 tackles against Clemson. With a year of experience under his belt I think he'll take a big leap and become an impressive coverage corner.
Jake: The defense will see a bump in secondary play due to the services of Jessie Bates. Wake struggled at safety last season and Bates is a natural playmaker that Coach Clawson has often praised during camp. Wake needs to force more turnovers and I'm hopeful Bates can provide that spark.
Chris: Not that he hasn't broken out already, but Duke Ejiofor is poised to have a monster season. The defense should be the strong suit of the team again this season, and Ejiofor is one of the best edge rushers we've had in a long time. He'll get a lot of attention from opposing teams, but I think he's the one to watch defensively.
Riley: Duke Ejiofor is a popular answer here, so I'm going to go with Willie Yarbary. Sounds like he has been doing a good job at defensive tackle anchoring the point of attack, and I think he will solidify his starting position pretty quickly. Another guy to keep an eye on is Paris Black, who could also have a good year on the defensive line and wreak havoc in the backfield.