Announcing the 2024 All-ACC College Football Teams and Awards
Hey, I'm only late by three months.
I recently realized I still had several of my 2024 College Football All-Conference Teams lying around in my drafts folder that I hadn’t published. I plan to roll them out as filler content in-between mock drafts and scouting reports in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for a three-round mock draft dropping in the next three or four days.
Prep for the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl took up most of my time in January, which led to these All-Conference Teams getting buried. I’m circling back around to get them all published before the end of March.
2024 All-America Teams l 2024 All-Big Ten Teams
The All-ACC selections and awards were chosen before the start of bowl season and the College Football Playoff. Performances from those events weren’t considered during this process. A player’s value as a draft prospect plays no role in this selection process. These awards are based purely on performances from the 2024 college season.
ACC Offensive Player of the Year: Cameron Ward, Miami
ACC Defensive Player of the Year: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Most Outstanding Player of the Year: Cameron Ward, Miami
Running Back of the Year: Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Pass Catcher of the Year: Xavier Restrepo, Miami
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Linebacker of the Year: Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
Defensive Back of the Year: Nohl Williams, Cal
Coach of the Year: Rhett Lashlee, SMU
First Team Offense
Quarterback: Cameron Ward, Miami
Running Back: Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Running Back: Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
Wide Receiver: Xavier Restrepo, Miami
Wide Receiver: Ja'Corey Brooks, Louisville
Wide Receiver: Trebor Pena, Syracuse
Tight End: Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
All-Purpose: Brashard Smith, SMU
Offensive Tackle: Blake Miller, Clemson
Offensive Tackle: Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College
Guard: Willie Lampkin, North Carolina
Guard: Marcus Tate, Clemson
Center: Drew Kendall, Boston College
First Team Defense
Defensive End/Edge: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
Defensive End/Edge: T.J. Parker, Clemson
Defensive Tackle: Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
Defensive Tackle: Simeon Barrow Jr., Miami
Linebacker: Barrett Carter, Clemson
Linebacker: Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
Linebacker: Teddye Buchanan, Cal
Cornerback: Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Cornerback: Nohl Williams, Cal
Safety: Jonas Sanker, Virginia
Safety: Terry Moore, Duke
Clemson rebounded from not appearing in the 2023 ACC Conference Championship Game by winning the conference and placing the most players onto the First Team (five). Boston College and Miami tied for second with three selections. Cal, North Carolina, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech had two selections each.
Duke, Louisville, Pittsburgh, SMU, and Virginia all had one player make the team, leaving Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Stanford, and Wake Forest without representatives.
The ACC was strongest at edge rusher and cornerback this year. I can understand grumblings about some of my selections at those positions because at least five players per spot had strong cases for inclusion on the First Team. Leaving Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Chandler Rivers, and Azareye'h Thomas on the Second Team was an especially frustrating decision.
Second Team Offense
Quarterback: Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Running Back: Isaac Brown, Louisville
Running Back: LeQuint Allen, Syracuse
Wide Receiver: Antonio Williams, Clemson
Wide Receiver: Jackson Meeks, Syracuse
Wide Receiver: Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
Tight End: Elijah Arroyo, Miami
All-Purpose: Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh
Offensive Tackle: Anthony Belton, North Carolina State
Offensive Tackle: Francis Mauigoa, Miami
Guard: Logan Parr, SMU
Guard: Caleb Krings, Duke
Center: Zeke Correll, North Carolina State
Second Team Defense
Defensive End/Edge: Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech
Defensive End/Edge: Ashton Gillotte, Louisville
Defensive Tackle: Jared Harrison-Hunte, SMU
Defensive Tackle: Cam Horsley, Boston College
Linebacker: Francisco Mauigoa, Miami
Linebacker: Kobe Wilson, SMU
Linebacker: Rasheem Biles, Pittsburgh
Cornerback: Chandler Rivers, Duke
Cornerback: Azareye'h Thomas, Florida State
Safety: Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU
Safety: Craig Woodson, Cal
SMU led the Second Team with four selections, followed by Miami and Syracuse with three each. The Hurricanes had some extremely talented players in 2024, but it felt like some, including Francisco Mauigoa, failed to reach their potential. On the other hand, SMU got the most out of its top performers during the program’s first season in the ACC.
Duke, Louisville, North Carolina State, and Pittsburgh all had two Second Team selections. Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Florida State, Stanford, and Virginia Tech also made appearances, while Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wake Forest were left empty-handed.
Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams was the closest to making the First Team among players who dropped to the Second Team considering how close he came to outperforming Syracuse’s Trebor Pena.
In hindsight, I should’ve included Miami’s Jalen Rivers on the Second Team as a guard instead of listing him on the Third Team as an offensive tackle.
Third Team Offense
Quarterback: Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Running Back: Damien Martinez, Miami
Running Back: Phil Mafah, Clemson
Wide Receiver: Konata Mumpfield, Pittsburgh
Wide Receiver: Eric Singleton Jr., Georgia Tech
Wide Receiver: Jordan Moore, Duke
Tight End: Justin Joly, North Carolina State
All-Purpose: Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
Offensive Tackle: Brian Parker II, Duke
Offensive Tackle: Jalen Rivers, Miami
Guard: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
Guard: Michael Gonzalez, Louisville
Center: Jakai Clark, SMU
Third Team Defense
Defensive End/Edge: Elijah Roberts, SMU
Defensive End/Edge: David Bailey, Stanford
Defensive Tackle: Kevin Pointer, Wake Forest
Defensive Tackle: Peter Woods, Clemson
Linebacker: Power Echols, North Carolina
Linebacker: Branson Combs, Wake Forest
Linebacker: Wade Woodaz, Clemson
Cornerback: Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech
Cornerback: Collin Wright, Stanford
Safety: R.J. Mickens, Clemson
Safety: Mishael Powell, Miami
Clemson solidified its lead with five selections on the Third Team, including rising stars Cade Klubnik and Peter Woods. Miami’s and Wake Forest’s three selections ranked second among programs on the Third Team. Duke, Georgia Tech, SMU, and Stanford all had two appearances apiece.
Louisville, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech were also represented on the Third Team, leaving Boston College, Cal, Florida State, Syracuse, and Virginia without any nominations.
Dorian Strong and Elijah Roberts falling to the Third Team illustrates how dominant the ACC was at cornerback and edge rusher this season. Both players would’ve at least earned Second Team honors in some other major conferences.
Fans of the NFL Draft are probably surprised not to see Joshua Farmer on the Third Team. He and Louisville linebacker Stanquan Clark were two omissions who had strong cases. In Farmer’s instance, I felt his play regressed from 2023 and didn’t warrant inclusion. North Carolina’s Alijah Huzzie also just missed the cut.
Overall, Clemson led all ACC programs with 11 players on the All-ACC Teams. Miami (nine) and SMU (seven) put up the toughest challenges. Duke and Syracuse (five) and Boston College, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech (four) also posted respectable totals.
Cal, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Stanford, and Wake Forest all finished with three inclusions. Georgia Tech was the lone program with two selections, followed by Florida State and Virginia with one each.
Honorable Mentions: Offense
Tyler Shough, QB Louisville
Kevin Jennings, QB SMU
Maalik Murphy, QB Duke
Haynes King, Georgia Tech
Jamal Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech
Star Thomas, RB Duke
Malachi Fields, WR Virginia
Taylor Morin, WR Wake Forest
Eli Pancol, WR Duke
Jacolby George, WR Miami
Chris Bell, WR Louisville
Kevin Concepcion, WR North Carolina State
Jaylin Lane, WR Virginia Tech
Jake Briningstool, TE Clemson
Jack Endries, TE Cal
Reed Harris, TE Boston College
RJ Maryland, TE SMU
Gavin Bartholomew, TE Pittsburgh
Jude Bowry, OT Boston College
Monroe Mills, OT Louisville
Jacarrius Peak, OT North Carolina State
DeVonte Gordon, OT Wake Forest
Corey Robinson II, OT Georgia Tech
Branson Taylor, OT Pittsburgh
PJ Williams, OT SMU
Tristan Leigh, OT Clemson
Anez Cooper, G Miami
Walker Parks, G Clemson
Matt Gulbin, G Wake Forest
Justin Osborne, G SMU
Kaden Moore, G Virginia Tech
Zach Carpenter, C Miami
Matt Craycraft, C Duke
Pete Nygra, C Louisville
Brian Stevens, C Virginia
Honorable Mentions: Defense
Tyler Baron, Edge Miami
Fadil Diggs, Edge Syracuse
Davin Vann, Edge North Carolina State
Jasheen Davis, Edge Wake Forest
Kaimon Rucker, Edge North Carolina
Rueben Bain Jr., Edge Miami
Chico Bennett Jr., Edge Virginia
Wesley Williams, Edge Duke
Xavier Carlton, Edge Cal
Jahfari Harvey, Edge SMU
Romello Height, Edge Georgia Tech
Akheem Mesidor, Edge Miami
Darrell Jackson Jr., DT Florida State
Joshua Farmer, DT Florida State
Payton Page, DT Clemson
Aaron Hall, DT Duke
Kendy Charles, DT Duke
Jordan van den Berg, DT Georgia Tech
Thor Griffith, DT Louisville
DeMonte Capehart, DT Clemson
Sammy Brown, LB Clemson
Stanquan Clark, LB Louisville
Ahmad Walker, LB SMU
Gaethan Bernadel, LB Stanford
Marlowe Wax, LB. Syracuse
Ozzie Nicholas, LB Duke
Ashton Hampton, CB Clemson
Warren Burrell, CB Georgia Tech
Corey Thornton, CB Louisville
Clarence Lewis, CB Syracuse
Alijah Huzzie, CB North Carolina
Deuce Harmon, CB SMU
Mansoor Delane, CB Virginia Tech
Fentrell Cypress II, CB Florida State
Quincy Riley, CB Louisville
OJ Frederique Jr., CB Miami
Carter Davis, S Boston College
Khalil Barnes, S Clemson
Ahmaad Moses, S SMU
Jaylen Jones, S Virginia Tech
Jonathan McGill, S SMU
Devin Grant, S Syracuse
Donovan McMillon, S Pittsburgh
Duce Chestnut, S Syracuse
Justin Barron, S Syracuse
Alijah Clark, S Syracuse
Nick Andersen, S Wake Forest
Javon McIntyre, S Pittsburgh
Jaylen Stinson, S Duke