Early Predictions of the 2015 ACC All-Conference Team
It's that time of year again.
The time when we all have to deal with the long drought between the end of one college football season and the beginning of the next. While national signing day has officially come and gone, it's on to the predictions for the 2015 season.
Are they slightly early predictions? Come on, it's never too early to look toward the upcoming college football season, especially with the amount of talent the ACC may have in 2015.
Today, we get answers to questions such as "which quarterback will take over the All-ACC quarterback reins from Jameis Winston?" Also, questions like whether or not players like Pittsburgh's James Conner and Tyler Boyd can repeat their impressive 2014 campaigns.
So, while those questions will be answered, the early predictions for each and every position of the ACC All-Conference team will also be revealed.
Not only will 2014 be factored into these choices, but a few players who have huge opportunities in front of them will also get consideration. Let's start off with some honorable mentions for both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, and then jump right into it.
Offensive Honorable Mention
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QB- Marquise Williams, Jr., North Carolina
RB- Jon Hilliman, So., Boston College
RB- Shadrach Thornton, Sr., NC State
WR- Isaiah Ford, So., Virginia Tech
WR- Ryan Switzer, Jr., North Carolina
WR- Travis Rudolph, So., Florida State
TE- Bucky Hodges, So., Virginia Tech
T- Bryan Chamberlain, Sr., Georgia Tech
T- Adam Bisnowaty, So., Pittsburgh
G- Lucas Patrick, Sr., Duke
G- Danny Isidora, Jr., Miami
C- Freddie Burden, Jr., Georgia Tech
K- Ian Frye, Sr., Virginia
P- Will Monday, Sr., Duke
RS- DeVon Edwards, Jr., Duke
Of this entire list, Hilliman was likely the hardest to leave out, but it was tough to justify putting him in over the two running backs who earned the All-ACC early prediction honors. Hilliman went from seeing a small workload in the first two games of 2014, to topping 12 carries in 10 of Boston College's final 11 games.
His final numbers were 860 yards with 13 touchdowns, and it's safe to say that he should top that heading into his sophomore season.
To the Boston College fans out there, have no fear, because Hilliman will have plenty of opportunity to take home All-ACC First Team honors over the next few seasons in Chestnut Hill.
Defensive Honorable Mention
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DE- Ken Ekanem, Jr., Virginia Tech
DE- Mike Rose, Sr., North Carolina State
DT- Adam Gotsis, Sr., Georgia Tech
DT- David Dean, Sr., Virginia
LB- Deon Clarke, Sr., Virginia Tech
LB- Keith Kelsey, Jr., Louisville
LB- Paul Davis, Jr., Georgia Tech
CB- Maurice Canady, Sr., Virginia
CB- Artie Burns, Jr., Miami
S- Jamal Golden, Sr., Georgia Tech
S- Jalen Ramsey, Jr., Florida State
It's easy to make an argument that quite a few of these honorable mentions could make the ACC All-Conference Football Team in 2015. It's also worth noting that DeVon Edwards could potentially push one of these safeties off the list, but he's already named as a return specialist.
Let's check out two players who jump off the page, including Davis, who racked up 119 tackles, four sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in 2014. He could absolutely jump onto the All-ACC First Team in 2015, but at worst he makes the All-ACC Second Team.
Another player who was tough to leave off is Ekanem for Virginia Tech. His numbers were incredible in 2014, as he had 54 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Defensive end was a tough position to call, but it's not all about what was done in previous seasons. Simply put, the two choices for defensive end are both players who could have career seasons in 2015.
Quarterback
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QB- Deshaun Watson, So., Clemson
Say hello to the future, or, actually the "now" of college football. When 2014 began, Watson was the highly-touted freshman who was sitting behind Cole Stoudt in Clemson. The problem was, whenever Watson would touch the field, it seemed like magic would happen.
In the first game of the 2014 season, when the Tigers took on the Georgia Bulldogs, Watson threw four passes, completing two of them for 59 yards and a touchdown in a 45-21 loss. From there, the pressure was on for head coach Dabo Swinney to get Watson more in-game action.
The next week, in a 73-7 blowout against South Carolina State, Watson went 8-of-9 passing for 154 yards and three touchdowns. Then came the Florida State game, which is when the change to Watson was made complete. In that game, Stoudt threw a total of five passes, compared to the 28 from Watson.
While Clemson lost this game in overtime, 23-17, Watson was strong once again, going 19-of-28 for 266 yards, and rushing for 30 yards with a touchdown.
With the reigns now fully handed over to Watson, he had a statement-making game against the North Carolina Tar Heels a week later. The freshman phenom threw for 435 yards and six touchdowns in the 50-35 triumph, while being named ACC Co-Offensive Back of the Week and ACC Rookie of the Week by the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Unfortunately for fans of college football, Watson suffered a hand injury, which left him sidelined for the next three games. He came back against Georgia Tech, but suffered another brutal blow, tearing his ACL after just six passes and seven rushes.
His 2014 season ended in shocking fashion, as he played with that torn ACL against the South Carolina Gamecocks. Not only that, but he led the Tigers to a 35-17 victory, throwing for 269 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for two touchdowns as well.
Watson is ready to take the college football world by storm, but he just needs to remain healthy.
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Running Backs
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RB- James Conner, Jr., Pittsburgh
Conner is just on another level, in many different ways. Not only was he one of the top rushers in the entire country in 2014, but he's a workhorse back. Last year, Conner carried the ball 298 times, was seventh overall in the nation with 1,765 rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns with 26.
Now, he's back for his encore.
While Conner was strong as a freshman, rushing 146 times for 799 yards and eight touchdowns, it was nothing like 2014. If Pittsburgh pounds the rock with the talented running back, he has the chance to lead the nation in rushing.
To this point, Conner has already broken multiple records, including the ACC single-season touchdown record. He also broke Tony Dorsett's school record for most rushing yards in a bowl game with 229 as a freshman.
Conner earned All-ACC First Team honors last year, so who's to doubt him heading into the 2015 season?
RB- Dalvin Cook, So., Florida State
As a freshman, Cook earned All-ACC Third Team honors despite not really getting into the action until Florida State's sixth game of the 2014 season. Over the first five games, Cook rushed just 24 times, but scored twice. From that point on, he averaged 16.2 rushes per game and totaled 880 yards with six touchdowns.
Cook took the reigns from Karlos Williams, and never looked back. Showing that he can also catch the ball out of the backfield, Cook tallied 20 catches over his final nine games. He's a major weapon for the FSU offense, and will likely be a focal point heading into 2015 with Jameis Winston on his way to the NFL.
Even in the biggest game of Cook's career, a 59-20 College Football Playoff loss to the Oregon Ducks, he had a strong statistical day. In that game, Cook rushed for 103 yards, with a 6.9 yard per carry average, but did lose one key fumble.
Expect Cook to build on a successful freshman campaign, and work his way up to the All-ACC First Team.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
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WR- Tyler Boyd, Jr., Pittsburgh
Boyd's 2014 season was a thing of beauty. He not only earned All-ACC First Team honors, but was second in the ACC in receiving yards with 1,261, behind only FSU's record-setting wide out, Rashad Greene. Boyd averaged an impressive 16.2 yards per reception and was tied for second in the ACC in receiving touchdowns with eight.
The best part about Boyd is that he was nearly as impressive in 2013 as a freshman. His career 2,435 yards sets him up to likely pass Pittsburgh's all-time leading receiver, Dietrich Jells, at some point in 2015. Jells had a total of 3,003 yards, and with how talented Boyd is, he could get the 568 yards needed just a few games into the upcoming season.
Boyd topped 100 yards in five of the final six games of the 2014 season, while hauling in at least five passes in each game. Don't expect Boyd to slow down heading into his junior campaign, and he may end up being a very highly-touted draft prospect after this season.
WR- Artavis Scott, So., Clemson
Let's not forget that Clemson had to deal with a quarterback carousel in 2014. Cole Stoudt started the season, Deshaun Watson took over and then Watson got hurt, twice. It's amazing that two Tigers made this list, but they both had impressive freshman campaigns and have even brighter futures.
The first Tiger to talk about is Scott. His coming out party was in the second game against South Carolina State, where he caught six passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Scott went on to finish the year with 76 receptions, 965 yards and eight touchdowns. He had at least seven catches in seven of the 13 games and had made a name for himself by the end of the season.
Some of Scott's biggest games came in close wins, or big games for the Tigers. Between the final game of the season against South Carolina and the Russell Athletic Bowl against Oklahoma, Scott racked up 15 catches for 299 yards and three touchdowns.
Scott earned All-ACC Third Team honors last year, and in 2015, he'll make the jump up to the first team.
WR- Mike Williams, Jr., Clemson
How about we round out the wide out position for the ACC All-Conference team with yet another Tiger? Williams and Scott were a two-headed monster in the Clemson passing game last season, and they'll only be better with a healthy Watson leading the team.
Williams was named to the All-ACC Third Team in 2014 after hauling in 57 passes for 1,030 yards and six touchdowns. His impressive 18.1 yards per reception average ranked him fifth in the ACC, while his receiving yards ranked him fourth in the league.
It's not much of a surprise to see that Williams' two best games of the season came when Watson was under center. His first was against North Carolina, as he caught six passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. He followed that up the next week against North Carolina State, by catching six passes for 155 yards and two more touchdowns.
TE- Cam Serigne, So., Wake Forest
Playing in an offense that ranked 127th in the nation with an average of 14.8 points per game, Serigne was a bright spot. Quarterback John Wolford did his best as a freshman starter, but the offensive line gave him little time to work with. Wolford and Serigne showed a connection at times in 2014, and they should build on that with an offseason to work together.
Serigne actually led the Demon Deacons in receiving as a freshman with 531 yards, while catching 54 passes with five touchdowns as well. Serigne scored four of his touchdowns in the final six games of the season. That stretch included two scores against Clemson, which was the top-ranked defense in the nation.
With tight ends like Nick O'Leary from Florida State, Clive Walford from Miami and Gerald Christian from Louisville all graduating, there's a spot on the All-ACC First Team up for grabs. Expect Serigne to have a big sophomore season and become one of the top tight ends in the ACC.
Offensive Line
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T- Isaiah Battle, Sr., Clemson
Battle has progressed each season of his collegiate career with the Tigers, and 2015 should be his best yet. After starting 11 games in 2014 and racking up 18 knockdowns, his upside is even higher this year. The 6-foot-7 tackle was named co-offensive player-of-the-game by ClemsonTigers.com after the 35-17 victory in the season finale against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Expect Battle to build on a strong finish to 2014 to be a leading man on the Clemson line.
T- Eric Smith, Jr., Virginia
After being named to the 247Sports True Freshman All-American Team in 2013, Smith started the final eight games of the season for the Cavaliers. He was a part of an offensive line that helped Virginia get their first 1,000-yard rusher since Kevin Parks in 2004.
Last season, Smith started every game for Virginia at right tackle, helping lead the Cavaliers to 500 yards of total offense in back-to-back games against BYU and Kent State. Smith's upside is tremendous, and he'll get the nod for All-ACC First Team in 2015.
G- Landon Turner, Sr., North Carolina
Turner was called the "most consistent performer" for Carolina by GoHeels.com while also being named All-ACC Third Team by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. In one of the biggest games of 2014 for the Tar Heels against their rival, the Duke Blue Devils, Turner excelled. He posted a 97-percent grade with 15 knockdown blocks in the 45-20 victory.
The talented guard for the Tar Heels is exactly what a team hopes for when recruiting an offensive lineman. While his junior year was his best yet, he also had a successful sophomore season, in which he started all 13 games. Turner deserves the All-ACC First Team accolade, and he'll receive it in 2015.
G- Alex Barr, Sr., NC State
Barr is a constant for the Wolfpack, and in a season where their run game really got going, he was one of the most reliable pieces on the team. NC State rushed for 2,659 yards as a team behind Barr and the rest of the offensive line. He has shown that he can move back and forth between playing on the left and right side, versatility that any team would kill to have.
The redshirt senior was a full-time starter from the third game of 2013 through the 2014 season before suffering a concussion. This led to Barr missing the final three games of the season. He'll be back better than ever in 2015, and should be a leading candidate to make the All-ACC First Team.
C- Matt Skura, Sr., Duke
Just a year removed from earning honorable mention in the All-ACC voting, this will be the year that Skura finds himself making the leap to the All-ACC First Team. Skura started all 14 games as a sophomore, and could be a prospect for the Rimington Trophy, which is given to the best center in the nation by the Boomer Esiason Foundation.
Skura is one of the most talented offensive lineman in the ACC, and he has a bright future that likely will include playing at the next level. Heading into the 2014 season, Laura Keeley of the News & Observer named Skura as Duke's fifth-most important player. As we look towards 2015, he may be even more important than that.
Special Teams
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K- Roberto Aguayo, Jr., Florida State
To put it as simply as possible, Aguayo is the best kicker in the nation. He fell short of winning a second-consecutive Lou Groza Award, but he'll be in the mix once again in 2015. Last year, he made 27-of-30 field goals and has never missed an extra point in his career.
Lastly, Aguayo has made 92.3 percent of his field goals throughout his collegiate career. The record for highest percentage of field goals ever made is held by Alex Henery from Nebraska, who made 89.5 percent. The only thing keeping Aguayo from topping this list is his 52 field goal attempts, as you must have at least 55 attempts to qualify. He'll be in the record books soon enough.
P- Alexander Kinal, Sr., Wake Forest
Kinal was asked to punt quite often for the struggling Wake Forest offense in 2014. He punted 81 times, ranking him second in the ACC behind only A.J. Hughes of Virginia Tech. His average of 43.6 yards per punt, though, was second to only Wil Baumann of NC State.
The punter for the Demon Deacons has managed a total of 262 punts throughout his three-year career, and may be asked to handle a good amount of work in 2015 as well. Kinal earned All-ACC Second Team honors last year, and missed out on the All-ACC First Team to Baumann, who is now working to land a job in the NFL.
RS- Myles Willis, Jr., Boston College
In 2014, Willis led the ACC in return attempts with 34 and return yards with 839. Of any returner who had at least 16 attempts, he ranked fourth in average yards per return at 24.7. He was also one of only three players in the ACC with a kick return touchdown.
If you want to look at a national level, Willis ranked fifth overall in total yards and was tied for sixth in total return attempts. The talented Eagle has the big-play potential that you love to see from a kick returner, and he should be in for a big year in 2015.
Defensive Line
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DE- Sheldon Rankins, Sr., Louisville
Rankins is one of many talented defensive line options in the ACC. He chose to come back for his senior season and will look to bolster his draft stock even more. He's going to lead a Louisville defense that is losing two All-ACC First Team defensive players in Lorenzo Mauldin and Gerod Holliman, as well as some additional firepower.
The talented defensive end from Bobby Petrino's squad earned All-ACC Third Team honors in 2014, and this is his year to climb the ladder. Rankins had 53 total tackles last year, while also racking up 13.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
Basically, Rankins can do everything asked of him.
The Cardinals may be losing playmakers, but it will be on guys like Rankins to keep this defense as one of the best in college football in 2015. His tackles, tackles for loss and sacks have improved in each of his three collegiate seasons. Will that trend continue next year?
DE- Dadi Nicolas, Sr., Virginia Tech
Nicolas is fresh off a junior season in which he earned All-ACC Second Team honors and led the Virginia Tech defense. Nicolas is another player who debated heading to the NFL but chose to return for his final year in school.
It's no surprise that Nicolas considered making the jump, as his 2014 statistics were more than a little impressive. He finished the year with 71 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and he blocked two kicks as well. Nicolas is looking to build on his already impressive career at Virginia Tech and will be one of the ACC's best defensive players in 2015.
DT- Connor Wujciak, Sr., Boston College
The Boston College defense took a step in the right direction in 2014, as it allowed just 21.3 points per game. This ranked them 21st in the nation statistically, and Wujciak was one key part to their success on the defensive side of the ball.
The 6-foot-3, 304-pound defensive tackle did it all for Boston College. Wujciak tallied 33 total tackles, with 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and also blocked a kick. He was named to the All-ACC Third Team along with Rankins and will look to potentially team up with Rankins on the top team in 2015.
DT- Corey Marshall, Sr., Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech defensive line is returning not one All-ACC player from 2014, but two. Nicolas and Marshall teamed up on the All-ACC Second Team defense last year, and this year they'll both be on the All-ACC First Team.
Marshall may not get the love that Nicolas does, as he doesn't have the gaudy stats that his teammate has, but he does more than just get his job done. In 2014, he not only had 41 total tackles, but also had 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and an interception.
With both Nicolas and Marshall back for their senior seasons in Blacksburg, it's safe to say that fans are hoping the line can cause some problems for opposing offenses.
Linebackers
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LB- Terrance Smith, Sr., Florida State
Smith debated heading to the NFL with many of his teammates but chose to come back for his final year. Smith has shown that he can play both inside and outside linebacker while displaying some incredible speed. Last year, Smith finished with 87 total tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss, earning All-ACC Second Team honors.
This year, he’ll make the All-ACC First Team and could be in for the best season of his collegiate career.
LB- Reggie Northrup, Sr., Florida State
Smith’s partner in the FSU group of linebackers is another senior in Reggie Northrup, who had a breakout season in 2014. He put together an impressive 122 total tackles, with four tackles for loss, a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble returned for a touchdown. He earned All-ACC Third Team honors for his impressive season, and just like Smith, he’ll be asked to do quite a bit for this defense.
I fully expect to see Northrup take the next step as a senior, putting himself on the map as one of the more intriguing NFL prospects at linebacker.
LB- Brandon Chubb, Sr., Wake Forest
Wake Forest had a brutal 2014 season, but you can’t really blame their defense for this. Its struggles came on the offensive side of the ball, which is obvious when you look at its lone ACC win. They knocked off the Virginia Tech Hokies at home in double overtime by a score of 6-3.
As for Chubb, well, he was a key part of this defense and will be an even bigger part in 2015. He racked up 109 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and three passes broken up. Basically, Chubb was all over the field and did whatever was asked of him.
Wake may not push for the top of the ACC this year, but the man who earned All-ACC Third Team honors last year is likely to do even more this season.
Secondary
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CB- Kendall Fuller, Jr., Virginia Tech
Just one year removed from earning All-American and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, Fuller had a huge 2014 campaign. The brother of Kyle Fuller, who was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, has an NFL future himself.
Fuller did see a slight drop-off in 2014 compared to 2013, as he had two interceptions (one for a touchdown), with 54 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and 15 passes broken up. In his freshman year, he exploded onto the scene with six interceptions, 58 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 11 passes broken up and one forced fumble.
Expect Fuller to be a force in the Virginia Tech secondary in 2015 and a player who sees his draft stock continue to trend upward throughout the season.
CB- Mackensie Alexander, So., Clemson
Alexander has the potential to be the best defensive back in the ACC next season. He may only be a sophomore, but if you remember back to Clemson’s 2014 matchup with the Florida State Seminoles, Alexander had stud receiver Rashad Greene on lockdown. As Mandrallius Robinson of The News-Press explained, Alexander was nearly flawless against Greene and the Seminoles.
If not for the one play mentioned where Alexander slipped, his matchup against Greene could go down as one of the best games by a defensive back all season.
Obviously, putting together a strong season is more than just one game, but Alexander showed his upside, and continued on to have a solid freshman campaign. Alexander was named a first-team Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (h/t Naples Daily News). The talented cornerback is just getting his career going, but he’s poised for big things in 2015.
S- Jeremy Cash, Sr., Duke
Safety was a tough position to call, but Cash has earned the nod for the All-ACC First Team. He had an amazing 2014 season he chose to return for his final year at Duke.
Cash is a great tackler and is a stat stuffer. He racked up 111 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven pass breakups and four forced fumbles last year. He was actually as good, if not better, in some categories as a sophomore, tallying 121 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and two forced fumbles in 2013.
Expect Cash to lead the Duke defense and earn the honor of All-ACC First Team in 2015, even against some strong competition at his position.
S- Quin Blanding, So., Virginia
As for Blanding, he is one of the most intriguing young prospects in the ACC. He played his first year with the Virginia Cavaliers last season, and racked up 123 total tackles, three interceptions, six passes broken up, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
After working with Virginia's first-team defense since the opening day of preseason practices, it was a coming out party for Blanding. As strong as 2014 was for the talented safety, he should be in for even bigger things in 2015, making him one of the most feared safeties in the ACC.
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