College football returns in just under 50 days, so it’s time to take a look at some of the top players in the ACC ahead of the 2024 season.
Reigning ACC champion Florida State and Georgia Tech kicks things off at Noon on Aug. 24, and ACC newcomer SMU plays Nevada that night.
But most of the league gets started the next week. In 50 days, UNC will play at Minnesota in a marquee matchup on the first Thursday night of the season.
Here are some of the ACC’s top players from each of the league’s 17 teams entering the 2024 season.
LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse
The junior running back was an All-ACC selection last season, logging 1,064 rushing yards on 245 carries with nine touchdowns.
Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
As a redshirt sophomore, Ayomanor led the Cardinal’s offense with 62 catches for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns.
Chico Bennett Jr, DL, Virginia
The defensive end is closing in on 100 tackles in his career, with 7 ½ sacks and two forced fumbles. He was an All-ACC selection.
Malik Benson, WR, Florida State
The top junior college recruit before heading to Alabama, Benson could end up being FSU’s top wideout. He had three catches for 162 yards and a touchdown in six starts last season.
Shyheim Brown, S, Florida State
An All-ACC selection, Brown logged 53 tackles and four pass breakups last season as one of the Seminoles’ top players in the secondary.
Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
The junior had 137 carries for 620 yards and five touchdowns last season. He averaged 4.28 yards per carry.
KC Concepcion, WR, NC State
The ACC Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, Concepcion set the NC State freshman record for catches (71) and receiving TDs (10) last season.
Jasheen Davis, DL, Wake Forest
The senior defensive lineman had 49 tackles, including 16 for loss and 7 ½ sacks, with 10 quarterback pressures last season.
Donovan Ezeiruaku, DL, Boston College
A senior defensive end, Ezeiruaku started all 13 games last season and was fourth on the team in tackles (53), including 6 ½ for loss.
Tre Freeman, LB, Duke
One of the ACC’s best linebackers in 2023, Freeman had 106 tackles and four pass breakups. The redshirt junior is among the league’s most underrated players.
Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse
After missing most of the 2023 season, Gadsden returns as one of the top tight ends in the nation. In 2022, he shattered Syracuse’s single-season receptions and receiving yards record by a tight end.
Ashton Gillotte, DL, Louisville
A first-team All-ACC selection, Gillotte had 14 ½ tackles for loss and 11 sacks in an All-American season as a junior.
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The sophomore emerged as one of the top running backs in the league last season. Hampton had 253 carries for 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns as a first-team All-ACC selection.
Rodney Hammond Jr., RB, Pitt
The senior running back had a team-high 547 yards and four touchdowns on 118 carries last season.
Jamal Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech
After making the move from wide receiver to running back, Haynes rushed for 1,059 yards and was MVP of the Yellow Jackets’ bowl game. He finished with seven rushing TDs.
Tucker Holloway, WR, Virginia Tech
One of the top specialists in the ACC, Holloway had five catches for 49 yards and returned 20 punts for 258 yards. His average of 12.9 yards per punt return was seventh in the nation.
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
The junior started all 13 games last season for the Tigers, completing 63.9% of his passes for 2,844 yards and 19 touchdowns with nine interceptions.
Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech
The redshirt junior had 2,842 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 737 yards and 10 TDs, joining Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels as the only players to reach those numbers.
Caullin Lacy, WR, Louisville a
Lacy caught 91 passes for 1,316 yards and seven touchdowns as the Sun Belt’s top receiver at South Alabama. He’ll try to replicate those numbers for the Cardinals.
Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson
Coming off a school bowl record four rushing touchdowns in the Gator Bowl, Mafah enters his final season as one of the ACC’s best. He had 965 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
RJ Maryland, tight end, SMU
The junior had 34 catches, 518 yards and seven touchdowns as the top tight end in the American Athletic Conference last season.
Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
The Oregon State transfer racked up 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. Martinez had four runs of 40 yards or more last season.
Donovan McMillion, S, Pitt
The senior defensive back started eight of 12 games at strong safety and led the Panthers in tackles with 105, the most by a Pitt defender since 2015.
RJ Mickens, S, Clemson
Clemson’s veteran leader at the back end of its defense, Mickens has recorded 144 tackles, eight pass breakups and five interceptions across 47 games.
Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami
The senior linebacker was an All-ACC selection and led the Hurricanes with 82 tackles, including 18 tackles for loss and 7 ½ sacks last season.
Jaquez Moore, RB, Duke
The senior running back has improved in each of his seasons with the Blue Devils, rushing for 674 yards and six touchdowns last season.
Jordan Moore, WR, Duke
A graduate student, Moore made the move to wide receiver and became Duke’s top option. In 2023, Moore had 62 catches for 835 yards and eight touchdowns.
Bryson Nesbit, TE, North Carolina
Arguably the top tight end in the ACC, Nesbit was an All-ACC first-teamer last season. The senior had 41 catches for 585 yards and five touchdowns in 2023.
TJ Parker, DL, Clemson
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