NC State QB Devin Leary named ACC preseason POY; UNC WR Josh Downs receives most votes

N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary may have trouble catching the attention of many national college football pundits with respect to top quarterback watch lists, but he has the full attention of those closest to the ACC.

Wednesday, Leary, a junior from New Jersey, was unveiled as the 2022 ACC Preseason Player of the Year.

A total of 164 media members voted last week at ACC Kickoff in Charlotte. Leary received 40 votes for POY, edging out Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman (30) and Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (21).

Clemson, picked by the same pool of media members to win the ACC title, led the All-ACC preseason team with six selections. The Pack was second with five.

Leary is coming off a record-breaking season during which he threw for 35 touchdowns, a single-season school record, passing Philip Rivers. Leary has thrown for 51 career touchdowns at N.C. State, good enough for sixth all-time.

In two seasons as the starting quarterback for the Pack, Leary has posted a 12-3 record. After suffering a broken leg in 2020, Leary started all 12 games a year ago. Entering his third year under offensive coordinator Tim Beck, Leary is expected to lead N.C. State to new heights.

“I have a really good grasp of the system, and guys that we need to step up, kind of teaching them and making sure they understand what they need to do, and just in general having the whole offense understand from my perspective,” Leary said at ACC Kickoff. “Just being in the system for a good amount of time and just keep collaborating with Coach Beck.”

Leary threw just five interceptions last season while passing for 3,433 yards. He was clutch when it mattered for the Pack, throwing 11 touchdowns in the fourth quarter or overtime. Leary was the only quarterback in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with 10 or more touchdowns and one or no interceptions in the fourth quarter. He was just the third ACC quarterback in the playoff era to accomplish that feat.

“He’s one of the top quarterbacks in the country,” N.C. State linebacker Isaiah Moore told The News & Observer. “We feel like he’s the best in the country. We have no worries when he’s under center.”

In June, N.C. State launched “DLeary Delivers,” a promotional campaign (don’t say Heisman) highlighting his accomplishments. As part of the campaign, Leary has popped up all over Wake County, making appearances and even serving slushes to kids at camps.

“He’s earned the notoriety,” N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said. “So we’re trying to have fun with it.”

Leary is joined on the All-ACC preseason offensive team by teammate Grant Gibson, the Wolfpack’s starting center. Linebacker Drake Thomas (100 tackles in 2021) was the leading vote-getter at his position (92), and was joined by teammates Payton Wilson and Tanner Ingle on defense. An All-ACC first-team performer in 2020, Wilson only played two games a year ago after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Ingle was a first-team All-ACC defender in 2021.

North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs led all players in total number of votes at his position with 128. He was also selected as the top team specialist. Downs set the UNC record for receptions (101) and receiving yards (1,335). He also received 12 votes for Player of the Year.

Downs was the only UNC player on the preseason first team. Hartman was joined by Wake Forest wide receiver A.T. Perry.

N.C. State and Clemson (Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee, Trenton Simpson) each had three players named to the first-team defense. Bresee (14) and Murphy (5) each received Player of the Year votes.

2022 Preseason All-ACC football team

(*) number of votes

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

This story was originally published July 27, 2022 at 2:01 PM.

Jonas E. Pope IV

The News & Observer

919-829-8911

Sports reporter Jonas Pope IV has covered college recruiting, high school sports, NC Central, NC State and the ACC for The Herald-Sun and The News & Observer.