Players to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference next season

By Canadian Press on April 29, 2025.

A look at football players in the Atlantic Coast Conference this spring who are poised to have breakout seasons this fall:

Boston College

OL Dwayne Allick should see a bigger role in the second season under coach Bill O’Brien. Allick, at 6-foot-2, 309 pounds, started three games last season, but is expected to compete for a starting job, likely at right guard, in his sixth season with the program.

California

QB Devin Brown transferred from Ohio State and was thrown in the mix to see time behind center at spring practice. Brown played in mop up duty the past two years with the Buckeyes, throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns.

Clemson

WR Tristan Smith was a portal find for coach Dabo Swinney for a deep and talented wideout room for the defending ACC champions. Smith had five catches for 137 yards in the Tigers’ spring game. He had 76 catches for 934 yards and six TDs last year at Southeast Missouri State.

Duke

QB Darian Mensah arrives from Tulane as the projected starter for Year 2 of Manny Diaz’s tenure. He led the Green Wave to the American Athletic Conference championship game last season by throwing for 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Florida State

WR Duce Robinson joins the Seminoles after two seasons at Southern Cal. Robinson, at 6-6, should be a tall target for new transfer passer Thomas Castellanos as Florida State plans on rebounding from a 2-10 season.

Georgia Tech

DB Kelvin Hill started all 12 games at cornerback for UAB last season and has kept making plays since joining the Yellow Jackets. He led all defensive players with six tackles in the program’s spring scrimmage and has gotten praise throughout the workouts from coach Brent Key.

Louisville

QB Miller Moss is expected to start for the Cardinals after coming over from Southern Cal. Moss started 10 games in three seasons with the Trojans. He played well in Louisville’s spring contest, throwing for 208 yards and a TD.

Miami (Fla.)

WR Malachi Toney had a strong spring and caught a 22-yard touchdown in the team’s final scrimmage. The four-star freshman could make an intriguing target for expected QB Carson Beck, the Georgia transfer who sat out the spring as he rehabbed an injury.

North Carolina

QB Gio Lopez has gotten the keys from new coach Bill Belichick to run the offense next season. Lopez started 11 games as a sophomore at South Alabama last season, passing for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns.

N.C. State

DB Jaren Sensabaugh transferred as a redshirt freshman after seeing six snaps in one game at Missouri last season. The son of former NFL defensive back Gerald Sensabaugh joins a unit working under new defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot.

Pittsburgh

RB Ja’Kyrian Turner was a versatile performer on offense all spring and capped it by rushing for 44 yards and catching three passes in the closing scrimmage. Turner should give QB Eli Holstein a strong option on offense this fall.

SMU

TE Matthew Hibner is going through his first spring with the Mustangs and the Michigan transfer hopes to build on his steady progression last year when he had 24 catches for 368 yards and four touchdowns.

Stanford

QB Elijah Brown will try and take the troubled Cardinal forward after a turbulent spring. Brown was a four-star passer who played in three games last season, throwing for 274 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He will get every chance under new coach Frank Reich to lead a turnaround.

Syracuse

WR-DB Demetress Samuel Jr., at just 17, has been a highlight of the Orange’s spring and could be their version of Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Samuel worked on both sides of the ball throughout practice and played both ways in the spring game.

Virginia

DE Billy Koudelka was a freshman walk-on who came on late last year and appears to be a reason for optimism that the Cavaliers will have an improved pass rush. Kouldelka forced a fumble and had a sack last season against SMU and was credited with four sacks in Virginia’s spring game.

Virginia Tech

CB Dante Lovett is a rising junior who started two games a year ago and should see much more playing time this season. He picked off a juggled pass and took it 38 yards for a touchdown in the Hokies spring game.

Wake Forest

RB Demond Claiborne was one of eight 1,000-yard rushers in the ACC last year, finishing with 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is positioned to hold a central role in the first year of coach Jake Dickert’s tenure.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Pete Iacobelli, The Associated Press

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