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Hokies, ‘Hoos shut out as ACC announces All-Conference Preseason Football Team

Posted at 4:34 PM, Jul 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-24 16:34:54-04

AJ Dillon of the Boston College Eagles. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Three-time defending conference champion Clemson leads all schools with eight selections on the 2018 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team announced Tuesday. Boston College sophomore running back AJ Dillon received the nod as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year.

The preseason player of the year and all-conference team was selected by a vote of 148 media members that were credentialed for last week’s ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte.

Christian Wilkins of the Clemson Tigers. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Dillon’s 1,589 yards rushing last season were the second-most by any freshman in ACC history. The New London, Connecticut, native ranked second nationally among all freshmen in rushing yards in 2017 and seventh among all players. Dillon set the Boston College freshman rushing record while posting the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.

Dillon received 45 votes in this year’s ACC Preseason Player of the Year balloting to edge Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins by three votes. NC State quarterback Ryan Finley placed third with 37 votes, and Florida State running back Cam Akers followed with 13.

Eleven of the league’s 14 football programs placed at least one player on the 2018 All-ACC Preseason Team. Virginia Tech, Virginia and Pittsburgh are the only three schools without a representative on the All-ACC Preseason Team.

2018 All-ACC Preseason Football Team

(Total votes in parenthesis)

Offense

WR – Jaylen Smith, Louisville (90)

WR – Kelvin Harmon, NC State (71)

WR – Hunter Renfrow, Clemson (62)

TE – Tommy Sweeney, Boston College (106)

AP – Greg Dortch, Wake Forest (64)

OT – Mitch Hyatt, Clemson (130)

OT – Chris Lindstrom, Boston College (72)

OG – Parker Braun, Georgia Tech (83)

OG – Phil Haynes, Wake Forest (65)

C – Justin Falcinelli, Clemson (56)

QB – Ryan Finley, NC State (102)

RB – AJ Dillon, Boston College (112)

RB – Cam Akers, Florida State (94)

Defense

DE – Clelin Ferrell, Clemson (122)

DE – Austin Bryant, Clemson (80)

DT – Christian Wilkins, Clemson (122)

DT – Dexter Lawrence, Clemson (119)

LB – Joe Giles-Harris, Duke (103)

LB – Shaquille Quarterman, Miami (98)

LB – Kendall Joseph, Clemson (84)

CB – Mark Gilbert, Duke (79)

CB – Michael Jackson, Miami (68)

S – Jaquan Johnson, Miami (103)

S – Lukas Denis, Boston College (64)

Special Teams

PK – Ricky Aguayo, Florida State (119)

P – Sterling Hofrichter, Syracuse (33)

SP – Anthony Ratliff-Williams, North Carolina (97)

ACC Player of the Year

AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College – 45

Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson – 42

Ryan Finley, QB, NC State – 37

Cam Akers, RB, Florida State – 13

Greg Dortch, WR, Wake Forest – 3

Joe Giles-Harris, LB, Duke – 2

TaQuon Marshall, QB, Georgia Tech – 2

Zach Allen, DE, Boston College – 1

Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse – 1

Olamide Zaccheaus, HB, Virginia – 1

Jaylen Smith, WR, Louisville – 1