2015 ACC Preview Top Ten Players: No. 6 to 10

2015 ACC Preview Top Ten Players: No. 1-5

6. CB Kendall Fuller, Jr. Virginia Tech
After just two seasons, Fuller is already one of the game’s premier cornerbacks. He’ll use 2015, likely his amateur finale, to further impress NFL scouts. Fuller ascended to All-American level last fall, breaking up a team-best 17 passes while making 54 tackles, 4.5 stops for loss, two sacks and two picks. And he did it with a fractured wrist. At 6-0 and 197 pounds, he has excellent size and athleticism. But it’s his fundamentals, ball skills and overall football IQ that help make him the kind of lockdown corner that opposing quarterbacks prefer to avoid at all costs.

7. QB Everett Golson, Sr. Florida State
Thank you, Malik Zaire. The development of Zaire in South Bend was the impetus for Golson to transfer for his final year. And voila, the Seminoles now have a veteran with two full seasons of starting experience on the resume. Golson has played in plenty of big games, including the 2013 National Championship Game, so he shouldn’t be rattled by the challenge ahead. But the strong-armed 6-0, 200-pounder needs to cut down on his mistakes, especially at a program that had so many issues with turnovers in 2014. Golson threw for 29 touchdowns and 3,445 yards on 256-of-427 passing in his Irish finale. However, he was also picked off 14 times, including four pick-sixes, and lost eight fumbles.

8. QB Deshaun Watson, Soph. Clemson
There were false starts in last season’s injury-plagued debut. But Watson left no doubts in eight appearances that he’s the franchise at Clemson … and one of the nation’s hottest young quarterbacks. The Tigers were a completely different team with Watson in the huddle, despite his lack of experience. The 6-2, 205-pound prodigy completed 93-of-137 passes for 1,466 yards, 14 touchdowns and two picks, adding 200 yards and five more rushing scores. Beyond the obvious physical gifts, Watson is also poised beyond his years, flush in leadership skills and a perfect fit for this Clemson attack. He’s one of college football’s new mega-stars.

9. QB Marquise Williams, Sr. North Carolina
Where would the defensively-challenged Heels have been last year without Williams, a one-man gang at times in Chapel Hill? There were pockets of inconsistency, sure. But Williams’ dual-threat ability gave fits to defenses all season long, allowing him to fend off the challenge of Mitch Trubisky. The 6-2, 220-pound Williams was named Second Team All-ACC for leading Carolina with 788 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, while completing 270-of-428 passes for 3,068 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

10. FS Quin Blanding, Soph. Virginia
Blanding was as good as advertised in his debut out of Bayside (Va.) High School. Nah, he was actually a whole lot better. Blanding authored one of the great all-time seasons for a first-year Cavalier defender, leading the team and all FBS rookies with 123 tackles. The imposing 6-1, 215-pounder was fittingly named ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, showcasing the maturity, work ethic and tackling skills to make this his first of multiple All-American appearances before heading to the NFL.

2015 ACC Preview Top Ten Players: No. 1-5