Clemson dominates all-ACC football team. Duke, NC State also represented
Two players from Duke and another from N.C. State made the all-ACC football preseason team, the conference announced Thursday.
No players from Bill Belichick’s first North Carolina roster received a spot on the 27-person team.
A panel of 183 media members attending last week’s ACC media event in Charlotte voted to select the team.
N.C. State senior tight end Justin Joly was the lone Wolfpack player to receive enough votes. Joly ranked second on the team last season in receptions and led the team in receiving yards with 661. His average of 15.4 yards per catch was the fourth-best efficiency in the FBS for a tight end.
Prior to arriving at N.C. State for the 2024 season, Joly played for two seasons at UConn.
“Whatever I have my mind set on, I’m usually good at obtaining,” Joly said at a fall camp practice. “I wasn’t recruited highly, but it doesn’t matter to me. As long as you give me the chance, I’ll take it.”
Duke’s senior cornerback Chandler Rivers and senior safety Terry Moore were voted to the all-ACC Preseason Defensive Team. Both received All-American and all-ACC honors in 2024.
Throughout his career, Rivers has recorded 164 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and five interceptions in 39 games.
“Honestly, it’s my teammates, my teammates and my coaches, they keep me grounded,” Rivers said at ACC Kickoff in Charlotte. “It’s not hard to miss all the outside noise we get, all the hype we get, whatever. My teammates and coaches, they keep me humble every day, they keep me grounded. They know my goal, our goal as a team, so holding me to that standard every day, that keeps me grounded knowing there’s more to work for and more we’ve got to accomplish together.”
In the 2024 campaign, Moore started in all 12 regular season games, totaling 70 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and three interceptions. He became the first Duke safety to be named an All-American since 2015 last season.
And while Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik received the nod for preseason ACC player of the year, N.C. State quarterback CJ Bailey received two votes, ranking eighth in the media poll.
In last year’s nine-start freshman season, Bailey ranked eighth in the ACC in total offense touchdowns with 22 and in passing efficiency. After an head injury sidelined — and ultimately forced retirement for — quarterback Grayson McCall in October last year, Bailey stepped in and started every game since.
His 2,413 passing yards checked in at seventh among all FBS freshmen, ranking second in the nation among true freshman.
The preseason pick to win the league title, Clemson landed 11 players on the preseason all-ACC team. Klubnik and defensive end T.J. Parker received more votes than any other players.
2025 preseason all-ACC football team
Offense
QB: Cade Klubnik, Clemson (148) RB: Isaac Brown, Louisville (99), Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech (85) WR: Antonio Williams, Clemson (143), Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (66), Chris Bell, Louisville (51) TE: Justin Joly, NC State (92) AP: Desmond Reid, Pitt (73) OT: Francis Mauigoa, Miami (99), Blake Miller, Clemson (99) OG: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech (93), Walker Parks, Clemson (51) C: Ryan Linthicum, Clemson (44)
Defense
DE: T.J. Parker, Clemson (152), Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami (92) DT: Peter Woods, Clemson (142), Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State (56) LB: Kyle Louis, Pitt (98), Wade Woodaz, Clemson (77), Sammy Brown, Clemson (76) CB: Avieon Terrell, Clemson (129), Chandler Rivers, Duke (106) S: Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU (86), Terry Moore, Duke (81)
Specialists
PK: Collin Rogers, SMU (67) P: Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse (70) SP: Desmond Reid, Pitt (68)
(Votes in parentheses) 183 media voters
ACC preseason player of the year
Rank Name, Position, School 1. Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson (146) 2. Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech (9) 3. Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU (5) 4. Carson Beck, QB, Miami (4), Kyron Drones, QB, Virginia Tech (4)
6. Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville (3) 7. Quintayvious Hutchins, DE, Boston College (2), CJ Bailey, QB, NC State (2), Eli Holstein, QB, Pitt (2), Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt (2), Desmond Reid, RB, Pitt (2) 12. Lewis Bond, WR, Boston College (1), Jamal Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech (1)