GREENSBORO,
N.C. (theACC.com) – Defending league champion Clemson leads all schools with 10
selections to the 2016 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team
announced on Wednesday.
The
team was selected by a vote of 191 media members who were credentialed for last
week’s ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte.
Clemson
junior quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was voted to repeat as ACC Preseason
Player of the Year by the Kickoff media, is joined on the All-ACC offensive
preseason team by Tiger wide receiver Artavis Scott, tight end Jordan Leggett,
offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt, offensive guard Tyrone Crowder, center Jay
Guillermo and placekicker Greg Huegel. Defensive tackle Carlos Watkins,
linebacker Ben Boulware and cornerback Cordrea Tankersely are Clemson’s
defensive selections.
Florida
State placed five student-athletes on the 2016 All-ACC preseason team, while
Louisville and North Carolina each had three selected.
Watson,
who in 2015 became the first player in FBS history to pass for 4,000 yards and
rush for 1,000 more, is joined in the preseason All-ACC backfield by Florida
State junior Dalvin Cook and North Carolina junior Elijah Hood.
FSU’s
Cook was the 2015 recipient of the Jim Brown
Award – given to the nation’s top running back by the Touchdown Club of
Columbus – after setting school single-season records for rushing yards (1,691)
and all-purpose yards (1,935). UNC’s Hood rushed for
1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore last season. His single-season
rushing total was the second-highest ever by a Tar Heel.
Clemson’s
Scott is joined on the preseason All-ACC wide receiving corps by fellow juniors
Isaiah Ford of Virginia Tech and Travis Rudolph of Florida State. The trio
combined for 227 catches, 2,981 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2015.
Preseason
All-ACC tight end recognition goes to Clemson’s Leggett, who was a John Mackey
Award finalist last season with 40 catches for
525 yards and eight touchdowns . He is joined
on the offensive line by Florida State’s Roderick Johnson and Clemson teammate
Hyatt at tackle. Clemson’s Tyrone Crowder and Pitt’s Dorian Johnson man the
offensive guard spots, while the Tigers’ Guillermo was selected at the center
position.
Florida
State senior DeMarcus Walker and Pitt redshirt senior Ejuan Price were the
choices at defensive end, while Clemson’s Watkins and Louisville’s DeAngelo
Brown received nods at defensive tackle. Price led the ACC and ranked eighth
nationally with 0.88 quarterback sacks per game (11.5 total) last season.
Clemson’s
Boulware and the Louisville senior duo of Keith Kelsey and Devonte Fields fill
the linebacker slots. Fields led the NCAA last season in tackles for loss per
game (1.73), and Kelsey ranked among the ACC leaders in total tackles with 107.
The
secondary features a pair of senior cornerbacks in Clemson’s Tankersley and
North Carolina Des Lawrence. Florida State safety Derwin James is joined at
safety by Virginia junior Quin Blanding, the 2014 ACC Defensive Rookie of the
Year. Tankersley’s five interceptions last season tied for second in the
conference, and Blanding ranked second in tackles per game with 9.6.
The
special teams include Clemson’s Huegel, a redshirt sophomore. Miami senior
Justin Vogel earned the spot at punter, while North Carolina senior Ryan
Switzer is a repeat choice as return specialist. Switzer enters his final
season with an ACC-record seven punt returns for touchdowns and is one shy of
the NCAA mark.
Watson
led the overall voting, being chosen by 188 of the 191 media members casting
ballots. Florida State’s Cook was named by 184 voters, and the Seminoles’
Johnson was named on 153 ballots.
Others
reaching or topping the century mark were Clemson’s Boulware (149), Florida
State’s Walker (142), Clemson’s Watkins (132), Guillermo (124), Tankersley
(115) and Scott (112), Virginia Tech’s Ford (112), Florida State’s James (112),
North Carolina’s Switzer (112), Virginia’s Blanding (107), Pitt’s Johnson (107)
and Price (102), and Miami’s Vogel (100).
Watson,
Scott, Roderick Johnson, Blanding and Switzer are repeat selections from the
2015 All-ACC preseason team.
2016 All-ACC Preseason Football Team
Offense
WR
– Artavis Scott, Jr., Clemson
WR
– Isaiah Ford, Jr., Virginia Tech
WR
– Travis Rudolph, Jr. Florida State
TE
– Jordan Leggett, Sr., Clemson
OT
– Roderick Johnson, Jr., Florida State
OT
– Mitch Hyatt, So., Clemson
OG
– Dorian Johnson, Sr., Pitt
OG
– Tyrone Crowder, Jr., Clemson
C –
Jay Guillermo, r-Sr., Clemson
QB
– Deshaun Watson, Jr., Clemson
RB
– Dalvin Cook, Jr., Florida State
RB
– Elijah Hood, Jr., North Carolina
Defense
DE
– DeMarcus Walker, Sr., Florida State
DE
– Ejuan Price, r-Sr., Pitt
DT
– Carlos Watkins, r-Sr., Clemson
DT
– DeAngelo Brown, Sr., Louisville
LB
– Ben Boulware, Sr., Clemson
LB
– Keith Kelsey, Sr., Louisville
LB
– Devonte Fields, Sr., Louisville
CB
– Cordrea Tankersley, Sr., Clemson
CB
– Des Lawrence, Sr., North Carolina
S –
Derwin James, So., Florida State
S –
Quin Blanding, Jr., Virginia
Special
Teams
PK
– Greg Huegel, r-So., Clemson
P –
Justin Vogel, Sr., Miami
SP
– Ryan Switzer, Sr., North Carolina
2016 All-ACC Preseason Team Voting
Quarterback
Deshaun
Watson, Clemson 188; Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina 1; Brad Kaaya, Miami 1;
Lamar Jackson, Louisville 1.
Running
Back
Dalvin
Cook, Florida State 184; Elijah Hood, North Carolina 97; Wayne Gallman, Clemson
70; Matthew Dayes, NC State 8; Taquan Mizzell, Virginia 7; Travon McMillian,
Virginia Tech 4; Qadree Ollison, Pitt 3; Joe Yearby, Miami 3; Jon Hilliman,
Boston College 3; Mark Walton, Miami 1; Marcus Marshall, Georgia Tech 1;
Brandon Ratcliff, Louisville 1.
Wide
Receiver
Artavis
Scott, Clemson 112; Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech 112; Travis Rudolph, Florida
State 94; Mike Williams, Clemson 80; Ryan Switzer, North Carolina 42; Mack
Hollins, North Carolina 27; James Quick, Louisville 23; Stacy Coley, Miami 23;
Kermit Whitefield, Florida State 15; Jamari Staples, Louisville 13; Bug Howard,
North Carolina 11; Jesus Wilson, Florida State 6; Bra’Lon Cherry, NC State 5;
Tabari Hines, Wake Forest 3; Anthony Nash, Duke 2; Cam Phillips, Virginia Tech
2; Olamide Zaccheaus, Virginia 1; Steve Ishmael, Syracuse 1; T.J. Rahming, Duke
1.
Tight
End
Jordan
Leggett, Clemson 89; Jaylen Samuels, NC State 41; Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech
34; Cam Serigne, Wake Forest 7; Ryan Izzo, Florida State 6; David Njoku, Miami
4; Cole Hikutini, Louisville 4; Brandon Fritts, North Carolina 3; Daniel Helm,
Duke 2; Scott Orndoff, Pitt 1.
Offensive
Tackle
Roderick
Johnson, Florida State 153; Mitch Hyatt, Clemson 82; Adam Bisnowaty, Pitt 70;
Jon Heck, North Carolina 39; Trevor Darling, Miami 13; Casey Blaser, Duke 8;
Eric Smith, Virginia 5; Jonathan McLaughlin, Virginia Tech 4; Geron Christian,
Louisville 3; Yosuah Nijman, Virginia Tech 2; Bentley Spain, North Carolina 1;
Gabe Brandner, Duke 1; Justin Herron, Wake Forest 1.
Offensive
Guard
Dorian
Johnson, Pitt 107; Tyrone Crowder, Clemson 82; Caleb Peterson, North Carolina
77; Kareem Are, Florida State 32; Wyatt Teller, Virginia Tech 13; Danny
Isidora, Miami 13; Tony Adams, NC State 12; Wilson Bell, Florida State 12;
Tanner Stone, Duke 11; KC McDermott, Miami 11; Augie Conte, Virginia Tech 8;
Omari Palmer, Syracuse 4.
Center
Jay
Guillermo, Clemson 124; Lucas Crowley, North Carolina 13; Jackson Matteo,
Virginia 11; Freddie Burden, Georgia Tech 10; Nick Linder, Miami 8; Alec
Eberle, Florida State 8; Alex Officer, Pitt 5; Joe Sceflo, NC State 4; Jason
Emerich, Syracuse 3; Jon Baker, Boston College 3; Eric Gallo, Virginia Tech 2.
Defensive
End
DeMarcus
Walker, Florida State 142; Ejuan Price, Pitt 102; Josh Sweat, Florida State 33;
Ken Ekanem, Virginia Tech 23; Al-Quadin Muhammad, Miami 16; Harold Landry,
Boston College 15; Bradley Chubb, NC State 12; KeShun Freeman, Georgia Tech 10;
Mikey Bart, North Carolina 8; Kevin Kavalec, Boston College 6; Andrew Brown,
Virginia 5; Dajaun Drennon, North Carolina 5; Duke Ejiofor, Wake Forest 5.
Defensive
Tackle
Carlos
Watkins, Clemson 132; DeAngelo Brown, Louisville 56; Derrick Nnadi, Florida
State 48; Christian Wilkins, Clemson 41; Nazair Jones, North Carolina 31;
Patrick Gamble, Georgia Tech 21; Demarcus Christmas, Florida State 15; Josh
Banks, Wake Forest 8; Woody Baron, Virginia Tech 7; B.J. Hill, NC State 5; Mike
Ramsay, Duke 5; Truman Gutapfel, Boston College 5; A.J. Wolf, Duke 4; Donte
Wilkins, Virginia 4.
Linebacker
Ben
Boulware, Clemson 149; Keith Kelsey, Louisville 99; Devonte Fields, Louisville
96; Micah Kiser, Virginia 84; Matt Milano, Boston College 49; Ro’Derrick
Hoskins, Florida State 20; Zaire Franklin, Syracuse 13; Marquel Lee, Wake
Forest 11; Connor Strachan, Boston College 9; P.J. Davis, Georgia Tech 9;
Jermaine Grace, Miami 8; Matt Galambos, Pitt 7; Ben Humphreys, Duke 7; Mike
Caprara, Pitt 5; Andrew Motuapuaka, Virginia Tech 3; Airius Moore, NC State 3;
Brant Mitchell, Georgia Tech 1.
Cornerback
Cordrea
Tankersley, Clemson 115; Des Lawrence, North Carolina 62; Marquez White,
Florida State 54; DeVon Edwards, Duke 43; M.J. Stewart, North Carolina 33; Shaq
Wiggins, Louisville 20; Corn Elder, Miami 19; Brad Watson, Wake Forest 10; Tim
Harris, Virginia 7; Breon Borders, Duke 6; Jack Tocho, NC State 5; Avonte
Maddox, Pitt 4; Sheldrick Redwine, Miami 4.
Safety
Derwin
James, Florida State 112; Quin Blanding, Virginia 107; Jordan Whitehead, Pitt
51; Josh Harvey-Clemons, Louisville 37; Rayshawn Jenkins, Miami 18; Chuck
Clark, Virginia Tech 11; Donnie Miles, North Carolina 10; John Johnson, Boston
College 9; Trey Marshall, Florida State 8; Josh Jones, NC State 6; Ryan
Janvion, Wake Forest 5; Deondre Singleton, Duke 4; A.J. Gray, Georgia Tech 2;
Antwan Cody, Syracuse 2.
Placekicker
Greg
Huegel, Clemson 63; Michael Badgley, Miami 41; Nick Weiler, North Carolina 39;
Harrison Butker, Georgia Tech 16; Chris Blewitt, Pitt 12; Joey Slye, Virginia
Tech 11; Mike Weaver, Wake Forest 7; Cole Murphy, Syracuse 2.
Punter
Justin
Vogel, Miami 100; Nicholas Conte, Virginia 60; A.J. Cole III, NC State 20; Ryan
Winslow, Pitt 11.
Specialist
Ryan
Switzer, North Carolina 112; DeVon Edwards, Duke 40; Kermit Whitfield, Florida
State 16; Corn Elder, Miami 8; Brisly Estime, Syracuse 6; T.J. Logan, North
Carolina 4; Nyheim Hines, NC State 3; Michael Walker, Boston College 1; Olamide
Zaccheaus, Virginia 1.
