Power Ranking Every ACC Team's 2016 Recruiting Class
Over the last three years, the ACC has proved that it belongs in college football’s upper echelon. In 2013, Jameis Winston led Florida State to the final BCS National Championship, and the Seminoles qualified for the first College Football Playoff before falling to Oregon.
Last fall, Clemson was the nation’s No. 1 team from the first College Football Playoff Top 25 ranking into the national title game, where it lost a hard-fought 45-40 decision to Nick Saban and Alabama. The Tigers could well be the preseason No. 1 again in August, and the Seminoles will be improved, too.
And don’t forget about an 11-win North Carolina team or a Virginia Tech program that should be rejuvenated following Justin Fuente’s hiring. The ACC commands respect, but it needs talent to keep pace with the likes of the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12. That’s why national signing day is so important: Recruits sign national letters of intent and officially begin plotting their paths with their college of choice.
The ACC had a solid signing day, especially at the top of the league. The bottom of the league featured programs building and finding their way following recent coaching changes. How did it all shake out? Here’s a look at the league’s class of 2016 power rankings.
14. Boston College
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Boston College had an ugly 2015 season. The Eagles had one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an anemic offense. They lost their last eight games to finish 3-9, taking a step back following consecutive bowl appearances to begin the Steve Addazio era.
That tough season was reflected in Boston College’s recruiting ranking. The Eagles didn’t sign a single 4-star recruit among their 17-member class, inking 15 3-star players. And while Addazio hired new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler, it didn’t seem to inspire offensive recruits. While six of the program's top eight recruits were offensive players, only two were true skill players.
Linebacker Ethan Tucky will improve the Eagles defense; he’s rated by 247Sports as the nation’s No. 36 outside linebacker prospect. And Boston College hopes dual-threat quarterback Anthony Brown has the skills to succeed in Loeffler’s offense. Meanwhile, receiver Kobay White could make an immediate impact in a thin offense.
Overall, however, this looks like a group that Addazio will have to develop, which doesn’t bode well for immediate ACC success, especially in the stacked Atlantic Division.
13. Syracuse
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Three years into Scott Shafer’s tenure, Syracuse decided it had seen just about enough. A 7-6 season and bowl win devolved into a pair of seasons that featured seven combined victories, and it was time for a change. The Orange certainly got that in Dino Babers, who led Bowling Green to a MAC title in 2015.
Babers took over and immediately put his stamp on the program and on Syracuse’s 2016 recruiting class. Of the 20 commitments, 18 came on board after Babers did. Two of the three holdovers, however, are among the Orange’s best recruits. Athlete Moe Neal is rated by 247Sports as the nation’s No. 37 athlete prospect, and offensive tackle Sam Heckel is one of the top five players in the state of Wisconsin.
Syracuse does not have a 4-star prospect on its roster, and while the Orange have major offensive needs, the class is split evenly between offense and defense. Defensive end Jaquwan Nelson could make an early impact, and quarterback Rex Culpepper provides much-needed depth at that position.
Babers will need playmakers such as tailback Jo-El Shaw and all-purpose back Sean Riley to emerge to give this class significant offensive value.
12. Virginia
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It was no surprise when Virginia and Mike London parted ways following the 2015 regular season. He led UVA to only one bowl appearance and showed no signs that he was capable of elevating the Cavaliers to a level where they could compete with the ACC’s best teams.
Bronco Mendenhall’s hiring as London’s replacement, however, was a coup for UVA. Mendenhall had an excellent run at BYU but apparently was ready for a bigger challenge. He and his staff haven’t made much of an immediate impact on the Cavs’ recruiting fortunes, however. Virginia will sign a 24-man class but only two recruits came on board following Mendenhall’s hiring.
Virginia does not have a 4-star recruit in the fold and has 11 defensive recruits (including four cornerbacks) in its class of 2016. The highest-rated recruit, tailback Tre Harbison, is already on campus. He’s rated by 247Sports as the nation’s No. 33 tailback prospect. Overall, however, Mendenhall will be judged more by the class of 2017, which he’ll have a full year to mold and piece together.
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11. Wake Forest
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It’s never going to be easy for Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons won an ACC title in 2006, but with every passing season, that looks like more and more of an outlier. Jim Grobe left Dave Clawson a serious rebuilding project, and it won’t be easy climbing the ladder in the ACC Atlantic Division. The Demon Deacons finished 3-9 in 2015, and Clawson will be forced to use Grobe’s formula of signing developmental recruits and being patient.
Wake does not have a 4-star recruit in its fold. The Deacons had offensive issues (averaging 17.4 points per game, No. 125 nationally), but four of their top six recruits are on defense. Sulaiman Kamara is the No. 10 prospect in Virginia and the No. 40 defensive tackle in America, per 247Sports. Clawson hopes that dual-threat quarterback Jamie Newman can bring a new element to the offense and defensive ends Emmanuel Walker and Zander Zimmer add punch to the pass rush. Altogether, however, there isn’t a game-changing recruit in this bunch.
10. Georgia Tech
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Even when Georgia Tech is rolling under Paul Johnson, the Yellow Jackets don’t exactly dominate the national recruiting rankings. Johnson’s flexbone offense is more than the sum of its parts, and it can be hard to attract elite offensive players to play in an option system that leans on the run game.
And after a 3-9 season, it can be especially difficult, which is why Tech’s 18-player class is in the bottom half of the ACC’s recruiting rankings. Johnson needed offensive depth, however, and he got it in this group. Tech signed seven offensive skill players, including a trio of “athlete” prospects in Xavier Gantt, Jay Jones and Josh Wright, all of whom display the versatility needed in the flexbone.
Dual-threat quarterback Lucas Johnson fits the flexbone as well. The top-ranked recruit, Jordan Woods, is the nation’s No. 17 strong-side defensive end prospect, per 247Sports. If Johnson can hit on several of his skill recruits, the flexbone will be in good shape for years to come.
9. North Carolina State
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Dave Doeren has North Carolina State on the right track. The Wolfpack have qualified for consecutive bowl games, and they’re trying to make progress in the ACC Atlantic behind Clemson, Florida State and Louisville. Doing so, however, will likely require putting together more talented recruiting classes than the one Doeren’s staff managed this year.
The Wolfpack did not sign a single 4-star player, which could make it difficult for them to keep up with the big boys of the Atlantic. Nine of 23 recruits came from inside state borders, including one of the best in Fayetteville athlete Isaiah Stallings, rated as the nation’s No. 17 athlete by 247Sports. He chose N.C. State over rival North Carolina, which was a win for the Wolfpack.
Shug Frazier is a top-40 defensive tackle recruit and has a college-ready body at 6’2”, 321 pounds. This class features four wide receivers but does not have a running back. Doeren needs more offensive firepower, and one or more of those wideouts must emerge.
8. Virginia Tech
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When Frank Beamer retired following the 2015 season, he was the nation’s longest-tenured FBS head coach at a single university. Beamer had tremendous success at Virginia Tech, but the Hokies grew stale in the final four years of his tenure, looking little like the program that had put together eight consecutive seasons of at least 10 victories.
Justin Fuente brings new energy to Blacksburg. He showed impressive coaching chops in leading a moribund Memphis program to 19 wins over two seasons, but it’s tough to judge his stamp on the class of 2016. He did get one huge recruit in Trinity Valley (Texas) quarterback Jerod Evans, a 4-star prospect whom Fuente had pursued since he was at Memphis. Evans is the nation’s top dual-threat junior college recruit and could start immediately at Tech. Fuente also signed dual-threat QB recruit Joshua Jackson of Saline, Michigan.
Overall, 12 of 21 recruits are offensive players, while cornerback Khalil Ladler is a candidate for early playing time on defense. Fuente did what he could with this class, and it’ll be interesting to see if Evans can grab the starting quarterback role immediately.
7. Louisville
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One of the biggest questions surrounding Bobby Petrino’s return engagement at Louisville was: Could he and his staff recruit at a high enough level to consistently compete in the ACC instead of the AAC or Big East? The Cardinals’ first two seasons under Petrino’s watch have been solid if not spectacular, and the class of 2016 continues that mold with some high-level talent at the top.
Louisville put together a top-40 class highlighted by a pair of 4-star players in quarterback Jawon Pass and wide receiver Desmond Fitzpatrick. Pass is rated as the nation’s No. 5 dual-threat quarterback and picked Louisville over Alabama, Auburn and North Carolina; he represents a very nice get for the Cardinals. Fitzpatrick picked Louisville over Nebraska and Michigan and should give the Cardinals’ wideout corps some serious punch.
Louisville signed three wide receivers, only one running back and four defensive backs (including three safeties). It’s a solid class that should keep the Cardinals’ momentum going.
6. North Carolina
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Few coaches had bigger turnarounds in 2015 than Larry Fedora did. He and North Carolina had an ugly 2014 season, finishing 6-7 with a Quick Lane Bowl loss to Rutgers. But following a disappointing season-opening loss to South Carolina, the Tar Heels didn’t lose again until the ACC title game against Clemson, finishing 11-3 overall.
That momentum is reflected in a solid 2016 recruiting class. The Tar Heels put together a top-35 class highlighted by a potential quarterback of the future in Chazz Surratt, a 4-star in-state prospect rated as the nation’s No. 8 dual-threat prospect. What’s more, Surratt chose UNC over Triangle rival Duke. UNC also signed a pro-style quarterback in Logan Byrd.
The Heels had a strong offense in 2015, and Gene Chizik’s defense showed serious improvement. The class had a slight lean toward defensive players, which makes sense if UNC hopes to continue its upward trend on that side of the ball.
Defensive end Tomon Fox will provide some extra pass-rush punch. This is a good class to carry the 2015 momentum forward.
5. Duke
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David Cutcliffe has done an amazing job in turning Duke from one of the nation’s traditional doormats into a force to be reckoned with in the ACC, and 2015 was another solid season, with the Blue Devils finishing 8-5 with a Pinstripe Bowl win over Indiana.
Cutcliffe’s 2016 class showed how far Duke has come in national circles. The Blue Devils have one of the ACC’s best recruiting classes and signed a talented group highlighted by a pair of 4-star players. Scott Bracey is Virginia’s No.2 overall prospect and the nation’s No. 7 athlete prospect. He is Cutcliffe’s highest-rated recruit at Duke and will add major talent to the wide receiver corps.
Dylan Singleton is the nation’s No. 10 safety prospect and could be a natural successor to Jeremy Cash, who leaves a big hole in the Duke secondary. The class leans slightly toward defensive recruits and is light on offensive skill players, but it is clearly Cutcliffe’s best class at Duke.
4. Pitt
11 of 14Pat Narduzzi wants to break Pitt out of its recent run of mediocrity. He took steps in 2015 with an 8-5 mark and 6-2 ACC record, and his first full recruiting class as the Panthers’ coach is another big move forward.
The class is solidly in the top half of the ACC, highlighted by a trio of 4-star signees. Narduzzi got a huge late commitment in Pittsburgh native Damar Hamlin, a 4-star cornerback who chose the Panthers over Penn State, Ohio State and Notre Dame. He’s rated as the nation’s No. 14 cornerback prospect.
George Hill is the nation’s No. 8 athlete prospect and picked the Panthers over Ohio State and Michigan State; he's another impressive get for Narduzzi’s program. In addition, Pitt got a great late commit in Keyshon Camp, who is rated as the nation's No. 27 defensive tackle prospect. He picked Pitt over Missouri and Michigan.
The Panthers’ class leaned toward defense and versatility, with three “athlete” signees. It’s a solid sign for Pitt’s viability in the ACC Coastal under Narduzzi.
3. Miami
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During Miami’s glory days, the Hurricanes liked to talk about “The State of Miami.” Miami coaches wanted to own south Florida and have their pick of recruits. It’s not quite that simple anymore, as plenty of programs mine the area for talent. But if Mark Richt’s first class is any indication, the ‘Canes are on their way to closing the borders.
Richt inked a smaller (18-member) but talented class that included a number of 4-star prospects and Miami-area prospects. All but two Miami signees are Florida natives. The Hurricanes kept a talented player at home in Fort Lauderdale's Sam Bruce, the nation’s No. 11 receiver prospect. And he can catch passes from 4-star quarterback prospect Jack Allison. Linebackers Shaquille Quarterman and Zack McCloud will give the middle of Miami’s defense a talent upgrade.
And West Palm Beach tailback Travis Homer could have an immediate impact on the Hurricanes backfield. Overall, this is a solid start for Richt’s return to south Florida.
2. Clemson
13 of 14For Dabo Swinney and Clemson, the class of 2016 wasn’t about quantity. It was about quality. A young roster meant fewer scholarship slots and the need to be picky about offers, but a 14-1 season and national runner-up finish meant the Tigers had plenty of players clamoring to be part of the roster.
Clemson lost the nation's top overall recruit, defensive tackle Rashan Gary, to Michigan, but still signed an excellent 20-member class that closed strong on signing day. The Tigers finished with the nation's No. 10 class.
They racked up a 5-star player in defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, the nation’s No. 2 overall recruit, and 12 4-star recruits. That’s some incredible talent. By comparison, the bottom 11 classes in the ACC combined for eight 4-star recruits. On signing day, Clemson landed Trayvon Mullen (the nation's No. 6 cornerback), John Simpson (the No. 7 guard prospect) and safety K'Von Wallace. He and Isaiah Simmons were key additions at safety, a thin spot for the Tigers.
Lawrence is a monster inside, an athletic force who’ll contribute immediately. In addition, Tavien Feaster is rated as the nation’s top tailback recruit and top-30 overall nationally.
"The No. 1 on our board was up in Spartanburg and this is truly the fastest guy in the country and we think he has a chance to really be a special player," Swinney said, per Brandon Rink of the Independent Mail. "Committed early. Stayed all the way through…Tavien Feaster is going to keep us in business as a great offense for many years to come."
Xavier Kelly is the nation’s No. 8 weak-side defensive end recruit. Clemson also loaded up again at wide receiver with Cornell Powell, Diondre Overton and Tavares Chase.
Linebackers Tre Lamar and Rahshaun Smith will be excellent fits and early contributors on Clemson’s defense as well. Simply put, this class will keep the Tigers’ momentum rolling forward.
1. Florida State
14 of 14Florida State was down a bit in 2015, slipping to 10-3 following a three-year run that saw the Seminoles reel in three ACC titles, a BCS national championship and a College Football Playoff appearance. But Jimbo Fisher’s group won’t be down for long...if at all. A talented roster got even better Wednesday as FSU closed strong, reeling in the nation's No. 2 overall class, right behind Alabama.
Florida State signed 17 4-star players, most in the ACC, as well as a key 5-star addition in Levonta Taylor, the nation’s top cornerback prospect. FSU made noise on signing day by grabbing Dontavious Jackson, the nation’s No. 4 inside linebacker prospect, and flipping No. 9 defensive tackle Shavar Manuel from rival Florida.
The Seminoles also snagged 4-star Jauan Williams (the nation’s No. 15 offensive tackle), 4-star Landon Dickerson (the No. 4 offensive tackle) and 4-star Amir Rasul (the No. 9 tailback). They also added talented in-state cornerback Carlos Becker, who picked FSU over Ohio State.
The Seminoles did lose longtime commit Jamel Cook, a defensive back and cousin of tailback Dalvin Cook who flipped to USC, as well as safety Clifford Chattman to Texas A&M.
Pro-style quarterback Malik Henry is already enrolled and ready to add his name to the QB mix this spring. It was a good day for Florida State, which filled needs across the board. FSU won’t be shedding its status as one of the nation’s elite programs anytime soon.
Recruit rankings and other information courtesy of 247Sports.
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