On early signing day, Eastside senior Bailey Benson penned his national letter of intent to continue his football career at Wake Forest.

Benson chose the Demon Deacons over Kansas, Cincinnati and Memphis. Benson has been committed to Wake Forest since Apr. 13 and is listed as a three star linebacker and is the 102nd linebacker in the country according to recruiting services. 

Becoming the best player he can be is the ultimate reason that Benson chose to leave the state of Georgia and go to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 

“Reaching my full potential is something that I really want to maximize while I'm in college,” Benson said. “I really like the coaching staff up there. I feel like the linebacker room is really tight in brotherhood and that's something I want to be a part of.”

Benson expressed his love for the coaching staff at Eastside for his player development on and off the field. 

“They really put pressure on me to reach heights that I’ve never reached before,” Benson said. “All the coaches here have so much love for their players and that really means a lot to my teammates and I.”

Benson finished his high school career with 206 total tackles with 10 sacks and two interceptions which helped lead the Eagles to an elite eight appearance in the GHSA AAAA state playoffs. The Eagles, which are led by head coach Jay Cawthon, finished the 2024-2025 season at 11-2, 5-1 AAAA region 8. 

“Leaving Eastside with my brothers in the class of 2025 is really a bittersweet moment for myself because we will never get to play on Fridays with each other again, " Benson said. “I just hope the next senior class outshine my class and continue to the standard of Eastside football.”