Editor’s note: Saturday Down South’s annual Top 25 preview week continues with a look at the ACC’s best players in 2024.

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The ACC likes to refer to itself as the Conference of Quarterbacks, But this year, even with the influx of talented passers from the transfer portal, most of the league’s best players can be found on defense.

It’s a deep talent pool that includes the top 2 sack leaders from 2023, the heir apparent to Florida State’s edge rushing dynasty and the Clemson linebacker who could end up as the first ACC player taken in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Who among them are the best of the best?

Here’s our ranking of the ACC’s Top 25 players heading into the 2024 season:

25. Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech

Tuten is the yin to quarterback Kyron Drones’ yang in the Hokies’ balanced offense. He amassed 1,652 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns last year – 10 rushing, 2 receiving and 2 kickoff returns – in his first season in Blacksburg. The former North Carolina A&T transfer enters 2024 ranked as the nation’s No. 5 all-purpose player by Pro Football Focus and the No. 5 most elusive running back by 247Sports.

24. Michael Gonzalez, OG, Louisville

Gonzalez was a key cog on an offensive line that helped the Cardinals average 178 rushing yards and 31 points per game en route to their first ACC Championship Game appearance. The 6-4, 305-pound senior started all 13 games at left guard, logging 914 snaps. He showed his versatility while recording 31 knockdown blocks in the running game while not allowing a single sack and just 14 quarterback pressures in 490 pass-blocking opportunities.

23. Donovan McMillon, S, Pitt

The Panthers have had 9 defensive backs taken in the past 7 NFL Drafts, including MJ Devonshire this year. McMillon is well on his way to adding to that total. The hard-hitting 6-2, 205-pound safety returned to his native Pennsylvania after spending his first 2 college seasons playing a limited role at Florida. And the home cooking suited him well. He was Pitt’s leading tackler with 105 last season while adding a forced fumble and a pass breakup.

22. Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami

A reliable, consistent route runner with sure hands and the toughness to withstand contact on contested catches across the middle, Restrepo is coming off a junior season in which he set a single-season school record with 85 catches while also leading the Hurricanes with 1,092 receiving yards. He finished 2nd in the ACC in both categories despite the struggles of Miami quarterbacks Tyler Van Dyke and Emory Williams. He promises to be even more productive this season with the arrival of star transfer QB Cam Ward.

21. DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Florida State

The graduate quarterback returns to the ACC with much more fanfare than when he was pushed out at Clemson in favor of Cade Klubnik 2 years ago. He blossomed in his 1 season at Oregon State, throwing for 2,638 yards and 21 touchdowns while also rushing for 6 scores. His experience and dual-threat playmaking ability make him a solid choice to pick up where Jordan Travis left off in leading the Seminoles’ bid to defend their ACC championship and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

20. Aydan White, CB, NC State

White’s production may have slipped in 2023 after a breakout sophomore season in which he intercepted 4 passes and earned first-team All-ACC honors. But that’s more a reflection of the respect opposing offenses had for him than anything he did differently. Teams simply didn’t test him as much last season. He still managed to record a pair of interceptions and a team-leading 10 pass breakups. He has not allowed a touchdown reception in each of the past 2 seasons and remains one of the top cover corners in the ACC.

19. Anthony Belton, OT, NC State

A massive 6-6, 336-pound graduate student, Belton experienced some growing pains after replacing first-round NFL draft pick Ickey Ekwonu 2 seasons ago. But he blossomed into a legitimate pro prospect himself by tying for the team lead with 51 pancake blocks – including 9 in a win against rival North Carolina – while earning 3rd-team All-ACC recognition in 2023. With the addition of transfer quarterback Grayson McCall, Belton moves back to the left side after playing on the right last year to protect the blind side lefty Brennan Armstrong.

18. Damien Martinez, RB, Miami

Quarterback Cam Ward might be getting all the attention, but Martinez is an equally important transfer pickup for coach Mario Cristobal. The former Oregon State Beaver is an explosive running back who will provide some needed diversity to what promises to be a potent Hurricanes offense this season. He comes to Miami off a 2023 season in which he rushed for 1,185 yards and scored 9 touchdowns to earn All-Pac-12 honors at Oregon State for the 2nd straight season.

17. Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse

The beginning of the end for former Orange coach Dino Babers came in Week 2 when Gadsden suffered what turned out to be a season-ending foot injury. Babers’ loss has become new coach Fran Brown’s gain. Because instead of entering the NFL Draft as expected, the 2022 All-ACC tight end has returned for another season. At 6-5, Gadsden II has the size that allows him to outreach smaller defenders for 50-50 balls. He also has an extraordinary leaping ability that makes his catch radius and should make him an inviting target for transfer quarterback Kyle McCord.

16. Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech

It took until the final week of fall camp for King to win the starting job last season. Even then, there were questions about how long he could hold onto the job after being replaced after just 6 games during his final season at Texas A&M in 2022. But he got off to a hot start and never looked back, The former 4-star prospect led the ACC with 27 touchdown passes while guiding the Yellow Jackets to their first winning season since 2018. With most of his supporting cast returning and a program that appears to be on the rise, all the elements are in place for King to improve on last year’s numbers.

15. KC Concepcion, WR, NC State

Concepcion’s emergence as a big-play threat is one of the primary reasons the Wolfpack were able to overcome a stumbling start, quarterback issues and the absence of a reliable running game to win 9 games and finish 3rd in the ACC in 2023. The Freshman All-American caught 71 passes for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns. With the addition of transfer quarterback Grayson McCall and a full offseason for offensive coordinator Robert Anae to dream up new ways of getting him the ball and making plays, Concepcion has the potential for an even bigger 2024.

14. Marlowe Wax, LB, Syracuse

Wax came to the Orange as a running back but has since developed into a running back’s worst nightmare because of his ability to deliver massive hits and a knack for always being around the football. Rated by PFF as 1 of the nation’s top 10 returning linebackers, the 2nd-team All-ACC selection has led the Orange in tackles in each of the past 2 seasons. He was one of Syracuse’s few bright spots in 2023 by recording 110 tackles, 11.5 for losses with 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and an interception.

13. Darius Washington, OT, Florida State

The versatile 6-4, 310-pound senior has evolved from a Swiss Army Knife capable of contributing at multiple positions to the focal point of an offensive line that helped the Seminoles lead the ACC in scoring at 34.6 points per game a year ago. He started 2 games at center before finding a home at left tackle, where he allowed only 1 sack and earned a positive grade from PFF in all 8 games he started there on the way to earning first-team All-ACC recognition.

12. Antwaun Powell-Ryland, DE, Virginia Tech

The Hokies ranked next-to-last in the ACC with 23 sacks in 2022 but jumped No. 2 with 31 last season thanks to the arrival of Powell-Ryland as a transfer from Florida. The lean 6-4, 246-pound edge rusher ranked 2nd in the conference with 9 sacks to go with 12.5 TFLs, 5 quarterback hurries, an ACC-leading 3 forced fumbles and 2 recoveries. Although he was projected as a mid-round pick this spring, he joined several other draft-eligible Hokies in running it back after helping Tech record its 1st winning season since 2019 and first bowl victory since 2016.

11. Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia

Ever notice how the best defensive players always seem to find a way to be around the ball? It’s an instinctive skill that can’t be taught. And Sanker has it. A 3-year starter for his hometown Cavaliers, the Charlottesville native put that ability to good use last season to become the first UVa player to surpass the 100-tackle mark since Quin Blanding in 2017. His 107 total tackles ranked 3rd in the ACC and his 6.1 solo stops per game were the 2nd-most in the country. He also had 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries, helping him to earn first-team All-ACC recognition.

10. Kyron Drones, QB Virginia Tech

Not since Michael Vick finished 3rd in the Heisman voting as a freshman in 1999 have the Hokies had as dynamic a dual-threat performer at quarterback as Drones. A former Baylor transfer, Drones took over the starting job 2 games into the season and immediately energized an offense that ranked near the bottom of the ACC in 2022. He threw for 2,085 yards and 17 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions while also rushing for 818 yards and 5 scores. With virtually his entire supporting cast returning, he could easily become a breakout Heisman hopeful on a dark-horse ACC contender.

9. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

A 3-year starter with nearly 2,000 snaps to his credit, Miller is one of the most experienced offensive linemen in college football. He’s also one of the best, with a 71.4 run-blocking grade in 2023 that was the best among ACC tackles. Miller still has some rough edges to smooth out, especially when it comes to committing careless penalties. But at 6-6, 310, he’s considered a top prospect at his position in the 2025 NFL Draft.

8. Jaydn Ott, RB, Cal

Ott might not be well known among fans on the Atlantic side of the “All Coast Conference.” But he enters the league as one of the most electric – though underrated – players in the country. He led the dearly departed Pac-12 in rushing last year at 108.5 yards per game and comes into 2024 ranked No. 4 among returning running backs by PFF. He’s more than just a combination of power and speed at 6-foot, 200 pounds. He’s the motor that drives the Bears. He rushed for 150 yards or more in 4 of his team’s 6 wins last season while also making an impact as a kickoff returner.

7. Francis Mauigoa, LB, Miami

The 6-3, 230-pound Washington State transfer led or was tied for the team lead in virtually every statistical category – tackles with 82, tackles for loss with 18, sacks with 7.5, quarterback hurries with 7 and forced fumbles with 2. He also assumed the role of team leader for a defense that allowed the 4th-fewest yards in the ACC. Mauigoa’s return isn’t just good news for Miami’s ACC championship hopes. It’s also an opportunity for him to gain national attention and improve his draft stock in the same way NC State’s Butkus Award-winning linebacker Payton Wilson did at NC State in 2023.

6. Patrick Payton, DE, Florida State

The Seminoles have developed a tradition of sending elite edge rushers into the NFL, with Brian Burns, Jermaine Johnson and now Jared Verse going in the 1st round over the past 6 drafts. Payton, a 6-5, 235-pound combination of speed, length and power, is set up to be next in line. Even though he was a complementary player in a defense that helped carry the Seminoles to a 13-0 start and ACC championship in 2023, he still managed to put up impressive numbers by recording 44 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks. With Verse and 2nd-rounder Braden Fiske now gone, Payton has an opportunity to increase his role and become a star in his own right.

5. Kaimon Rucker, DE, North Carolina

Nicknamed “The Butcher” because of a comment made about him by a television announcer during his freshman season, the 6-2, 265-pound bundle of energy is a key element in new coordinator Geoff Collins’ effort to transform UNC’s defense into a serviceable unit. Rucker got last season off to a flying start by recording 2 sacks and 5.5 TFLs in a win against South Carolina and went on to lead the Tar Heels with 8.5 sacks, 15 TFLs and 12 quarterback hurries while ranking 4th on the team with 61 total tackles. He also has a line of “Ruck the Butcher” t-shirts that have helped make him as popular with the fans as with his teammates.

4. Cam Ward, QB, Miami

Ward entered this year’s NFL Draft after a monster season at Washington State. But the combination of a deep quarterback class that saw 6 passers taken in the first 12 picks and Miami’s lucrative NIL collective and talented corps of receivers persuaded him to return for a 5th college season. He joins the Hurricanes as the top-rated quarterback in the portal after throwing for 3,735 yards and 25 touchdowns last year – a performance that has made him the ACC’s highest-rated Heisman candidate at +2000, according to FanDuel sportsbook.

3. Ashton Gillotte, DE, Louisville

With his mane of shoulder-length hair, Gillotte resembles a lion off the field. He’s just as ferocious as one once he gets into the opposing backfield, which was often during a breakout junior season that helped fuel the Cardinals’ run to the ACC title game. Gillotte led the ACC with 11 sacks while adding 14.5 tackles for loss, 45 tackles and 3 forced fumbles on the way to 2nd-team All-American honors. He’s the heart and soul of the Cardinals, a high-energy player who keeps his teammates engaged with his energy and emotion.

2. Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina

With his explosive first step into the hole and ability to elude defenders beyond the line of scrimmage, Hampton is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. And that’s not an exaggeration. He once scored 7 touchdowns in a single playoff game as a high school senior in 2021 and his 16 total touchdowns (15 rushing, 1 receiving) were the most in the ACC in 2023. His 1,504 rushing yards and 5.9 yards per carry average also led the league. Now that quarterback Drake Maye is in the NFL, he’ll finally be able to take center stage as the focal point in the offense.

1. Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson

Carter is a heavy hitter and sure tackler with the speed to get into opposing backfields and the athleticism to hold his own in pass coverage. He’s almost certain to improve on last year’s totals of 62 tackles in 2023, 9.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks and 6 pass breakups in the absence of bookend Jeremiah Trotter Jr. He is a physically gifted 6-1, 230-pound linebacker who could potentially have been a 1st-round pick had he chosen to enter this year’s NFL Draft. But he surprised everyone by announcing plans to return for his senior season, citing “unfinished business” after a disappointing season in which the Tigers lost 4 times and fell short of another ACC Championship Game appearance.