Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-16vs Akron | 5 | 165 | 33.0 | 1 | 78 | Season-high 165 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 38-36@ Purdue | 6 | 88 | 14.7 | 0 | 25 | |
| Total | 11 | 253 | 23.9 | 1 | 78 |
#8
Carlos Hernandez
Senior wide receiver for Wake Forest. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 192 lb · Alhambra, CA · Monrovia
CFB Index 55 · #175 of 485 WRsHigh confidenceReturning to Wake Forest for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
253
receiving yards · 2026
11 catches · 1 TD · 23 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 rec, 165 yds, 1 TD, vs Akron
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 wide receiver for Wake Forest. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Washington State in 2023.
- Transferred from Washington State to Wake Forest in 2025.
Carlos Hernandez
Moves the chains on third down. Carlos Hernandez has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: ACC Receiver Player of the Week. The receipt on tape: 165 rec yds, 5 receptions against Akron, Week 1, 2026.
253 REC YDS · 11 REC · 1 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The week the volume broke through — put up 197 yds vs Delaware.Delaware · W 52-142025
20238 games
- Signed with Washington State3-star out of Monrovia
202513 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2024
Wake Forest
Coaching transition mid-career: Dave Clawson → Jake Dickert. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Washington State5-7HC: Jake Dickert · Pass-leaning
2024Washington State8-5HC: Pete Kaligis · Run-leaning
2025Wake Forest9-4HC: Jake Dickert · Balanced
2026Wake Forest2-0HC: Jake Dickert · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: long catch (99th percentile). Strength: yards / catch (98th percentile). Concern: receptions (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 5.5 REC/g, 126 YDS/g, 23.9 YPR, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jake Dickert
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #28 of 64 ACC WRs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wake Forest | 11 | 253 | 23.0 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Wake Forest | 40 | 611 | 15.3 | 3 | -- |
| 2024 | Washington State | 31 | 397 | 12.8 | 5 | -- |
| 2023 | Washington State | 24 | 258 | 10.8 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 106 | 1,519 | 14.3 | 9 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wake Forest | -- | -- | -- | 18 | -- |
| 2025 | Wake Forest | 1 | 54 | 19 | 253 | 1 |
| 2024 | Washington State | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Washington State | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 1 | 54 | 19 | 271 | 1 |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 38–36
at Purdue
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Akron · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +6.27(05:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short left to #8 C.Hernandez caught at WFU26, for 78 yards to the AKR00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 04:57, 1ST DOWN #85 W.Loerzel pass attempt Successful
- Week 1 · Akron · 2&16 · Q1 · EPA +3.72(13:13) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short middle to #8 C.Hernandez caught at WFU27, for 34 yards to the AKR44 (#20 M.Flowers), 1ST DOWN, PENALTY AKR Face Mask (#20 M.Flowers) 15 yards from AKR44 to AKR29, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Purdue · 4&15 · Q6 · EPA +3.24(00:00) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short right to #8 C.Hernandez caught at PUR07, for 15 yards to the PUR02 (#1 S.Bradford; #13 J.Slaughter), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN. The previous play is under automatic review - "First down". CALL OVERTURNED. (Original Play: (00:00) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short right to #8 C.Hernandez caught at PUR08, for 14 yards to the PUR03 (#1 S.Bradford; #13 J.Slaughter), out of bounds, TURNOVER ON DOWNS)
- Week 1 · Akron · 3&6 · Q1 · EPA +2.95(07:33) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short right to #8 C.Hernandez caught at WFU45, for 17 yards to the AKR43 (#3 A.Branch; #7 J.Jones), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Akron · 3&3 · Q2 · EPA +2.63(00:49) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short middle to #8 C.Hernandez caught at WFU35, for 18 yards to the WFU50 (#32 D.Johnson; #23 D.Curtis), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Purdue · 2&9 · Q2 · EPA +2.62(08:03) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete deep left to #8 C.Hernandez caught at PUR37, for 25 yards to the PUR32 (#7 D.Saunders), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Purdue · 2&9 · Q1 · EPA +2.51(00:37) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short middle to #8 C.Hernandez caught at WFU45, for 18 yards to the WFU50 (#7 D.Saunders; #4 H.Hines), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Purdue · 3&5 · Q3 · EPA +2.49(13:51) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short left to #8 C.Hernandez caught at PUR41, for 16 yards to the PUR35 (#7 D.Saunders; #13 J.Slaughter), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Akron · 2&5 · Q2 · EPA +1.00(00:29) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short left to #8 C.Hernandez caught at AKR30, for 18 yards to the AKR27 (#17 C.Newsome), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Purdue · 2&7 · Q1 · EPA +0.44(07:09) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 G.Lopez pass complete short left to #8 C.Hernandez caught at PUR20, for 9 yards to the PUR20 (#13 J.Slaughter), 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Wake Forest
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Wake Forest
Returning around him
- 14% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 2 Wake Forest players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +1 net (24 in / 23 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Wake Forest · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #63 · 2026 recruiting class #39
DNA match
Player DNA
Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Dante Cephas’s 2022 season.
Matches Dante on
Yards / reception
TD rate
Total EPA (college ability)
Differs from Dante on
Recruiting rating (higher)
Through 4 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Julius Young’s path through Lafayette.
Julius Young
98%match
Matches Julius on
Yards per reception
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to DeAndre Moore Jr.'s junior season at Texas (2025).
82%match
Matches DeAndre on
Reception volume
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Differs from DeAndre on
EPA / play (adj) (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Carlos Hernandez
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #151
Peaked at #151 this season.
Background
Career Accolades 2026 Phil Steele Preseason Third Team All-American 2026 Phil Steele Preseason First Team All-ACC (Returner) 2026 Phil Steele Preseason Fourth Team All-ACC (WR) 2026 Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC 2025 (Junior) Played in all 13 games… Caught 40 passes for 611 yards and three rece...
The receiver room · Wake Forest
- #8Carlos Hernandez611 receiving yards · 2025
- #7Wondame Davis Jr.604 receiving yards · 2025
- #18Drayden Dickmann323 receiving yards · 2025
- #14Antonio Meeks189 receiving yards · 2025
- #9Chase Tyler120 receiving yards · 2025
12 more on the roster · Wake Forest team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology