Ranking the 5 Best Special Teams Players in the ACC for 2011

So we’ve finally reached the end of our ACC player rankings with the top special teams players in the ACC. Every ACC team was represented in the player rankings except *cough* um, sorry ,Wake Forest. The Deacs have some good players at certain positions, but this doesn’t bode well for them. As for the special teams, this includes punt returners, kickoff returners, kickers, punters, and even guys on the coverage teams if they can make the kind of impact a great return man can.

Completed Rankings at All Sports Discussion

Running Backs | Quarterbacks | Wide Receivers | Offensive Linemen | Tight Ends | Defensive Linemen | Linebackers | Cornerbacks | Safeties

1) Tony Logan, Maryland

Maryland’s Tony Logan led in the ACC in punt average last year by a whopping 5.5 yards at 18.1 yards a return. He had two returns for TD and over 500 yards of punt return yardage. He was a consensus all-ACC pick last season, and I’ve seen him on several preseason All-American teams for this year. Yep, he’s really good. Logan is going have some extra motivation. Teams focused on him late in the year and Florida State’s Greg Reid was named the preseason All-ACC returner for 2011.

2) Greg Reid, Florida State

For pure versatility as a kick or punt returner, there might not better player in the ACC than the Seminole’s Greg Reid. He was the only ACC player to be ranked in the top five in punt and kickoff return average. He also set a Florida State record for kickoff return yards with 742 in 2010. That included an incredible 193-yard kickoff return yardage game against North Carolina. Reid has the distinction of being the only player named in my top five player rankings at two different positions. I have him as the No. 5 cornerback in the ACC.

3) Dyrell Roberts, Virginia Tech

In 2009, Dyrell Roberts may have been the best return man in the ACC. He averaged nearly 32 yards a kickoff that year. He suffered a major thigh injury in early November against Georgia Tech and spent months in recovery. He’s got sprinter speed, and if he’s healthy, he could challenge Greg Reid and Tony Logan as the top return man in the ACC. I’m going out on a limb here a bit, but I think he’ll have a big special teams season.

4) Will Snyderwine, Duke

The Duke Blue Devils have a bona fide weapon in kicker Will Snyderwine. Last season ,he hit 21- of -24 field goals with a long of  52. The senior is the preseason All-ACC pick at kicker. His range extends to 60 yards and he helped make Duke one of the top kickoff coverage teams in the ACC.

5) Shawn Powell, Florida State

For the top punter in the in ACC it was a close call between the Nole’s Shawn Powell and Clemson’s Dawson Zimmerman, but I went with Powell by a nose. If Powell would have gotten the NCAA minimum of 3.6 punts per game, he would have led the ACC in punting with a 44.3 yard-per-kick average. Do you need a 50-yard punt or do you need to pin your opponent inside the 20? Powell can do it all and may leave Florida State as the best statistical punter ever to come through Tallahassee.