Four-Star Forward Jayon Connor Stays Home, Commits to Wake Forest

Wake Forest kept one of North Carolina’s best 2027 prospects home Friday when four-star forward Jayon Connor committed to the Demon Deacons. The 6-foot-7 Forsyth Country Day standout chose Wake Forest over a final group that included NC State, Virginia Tech and Charlotte after also collecting offers from programs such as Houston, Illinois, Tennessee, UConn, Michigan State and USC. Connor is ranked No. 83 nationally by 247Sports and No. 95 in the Rivals Industry Ranking.

Connor averaged roughly 20 points and nine rebounds as a junior while helping Forsyth Country Day emerge as one of North Carolina’s top teams. His calling card is his motor: he rebounds aggressively, defends multiple spots and consistently creates offense around the rim through drives and second-chance opportunities. That physical style has allowed him to play bigger than his listed size, while his developing perimeter game gives Wake Forest additional upside to work with.

The local angle makes the commitment especially valuable for Steve Forbes. Connor plays only a short distance from Wake Forest’s campus in Winston-Salem, yet the Demon Deacons still had to beat a long list of high-major programs to keep him home. He becomes Wake Forest’s second 2027 commitment, joining four-star guard Quincy Douby Jr. For a program trying to build continuity through high school recruiting, landing a top-100 prospect from its own backyard is exactly the kind of recruiting win that can carry beyond one player.