North Carolina Tar Heels: Three on Preseason All-ACC
The North Carolina Tar Heels had one third the number of players on the All-ACC team as the Clemson Tigers.
The North Carolina Tar Heels may be the Coastal Division favorites but that does not mean that the ACC media does not believe that they have a long way to go. This became abundantly clear when the preseason all-ACC team was announced.
The Tar Heels got three players on the team, but the overriding theme of the team was Clemson. There are Clemson players littered everywhere on the roster. Of the twenty-four spots on the team, ten were wearing the orange. This is important because Clemson is the team that the Heels are trying to dethrone in the conference. It is a deep senior laden roster.
On the other side, the Tar Heels did get running back Elijah Hood, cornerback Des Lawrence, and return man Ryan Switzer onto the first team. For Lawrence, this is a well-deserved honor reflecting on his growth and development as a defensive back. For Hood, this is a reflection of last year’s rushing achievement. For Switzer, this is a statement that everyone still remembers his freshman year.
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The closer rivals of the Tar Heels are missing from the team. Duke, State, and Wake managed exactly zero players on the team. Pitt and Miami are picked to finish closest to Carolina in the Coastal and have a little more impact. Pitt has two and Miami has the punter.
The most dangerous player in the conference did not even make the team, although his return from injury is still questionable. That would be Pitt running back James Conner, who is an absolute monster when healthy and not to be forgotten. This is especially true for a Carolina team that is still figuring out its front seven.
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The Preseason All-ACC Team (With vote totals)
Offense
WR Artavis Scott, Jr., Clemson (112)
WR Isaiah Ford, Jr., Virginia Tech (112)
WR Travis Rudolph, Jr., Florida State (94)
TE Jordan Leggett, Sr., Clemson (89)
OT Roderick Johnson, Jr., Florida State (153)
OT Mitch Hyatt, So., Clemson (82)
OG Dorian Johnson, Sr., Pittsburgh (107)
OG Tyrone Crowder, Jr., Clemson (82)
C Jay Guillermo, r-Sr., Clemson (124)
QB Deshaun Watson, Jr., Clemson (188)
RB Dalvin Cook, Jr., Florida State (184)
RB Elijah Hood, Jr., North Carolina (97)
Defense
DE DeMarcus Walker, Sr., Florida State (142)
DE Ejuan Price, r-Sr., Pittsburgh (102)
DT Carlos Watkins, r-Sr., Clemson (132)
DT DeAngelo Brown, Sr., Louisville (56)
LB Ben Boulware, Sr., Clemson (149)
LB Keith Kelsey, Sr., Louisville (99)
LB Devonte Fields, Sr., Louisville (96)
CB Cordrea Tankersley, Sr., Clemson (115)
CB Des Lawrence, Sr., North Carolina (62)
S Derwin James, So., Florida State (112)
S Quin Blanding, Jr., Virginia (107)
Special teams
K Greg Huegel, r-So., Clemson (63)
P Justin Vogel, Sr., Miami (100)
ST Ryan Switzer, Sr., North Carolina (112)
Next: UNC Picked to Win Coastal
So that is the list. The month is about to become August and camps will start soon and before you know we’ll be playing games.