Well, here we go. It’s time to start ranking the best players in the ACC for the 2023 season.
As usual, we hope you enjoy the rankings.
Previous and Upcoming Rankings
Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Offensive Linemen | Tight Ends |
Defensive Linemen | Linebackers | Cornerbacks | Safeties | Special Teams
1) Jordan Travis, Florida State
I had a difficult picking deciding who to put at the top of my pre-season ACC QB rankings – Florida State’s Jordan Travis or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. How do you choose?
Maye put up eye-popping numbers last season on his way to a season that had him in Heisman contention most of the year. Travis himself threw for over 3200 yards and 24 TD while leading Florida State to 10 wins and national relevance for the first time in since 2016. Why did I go with Travis? With 2 minutes left in a game, who did I trust more to lead a game-winning drive between the two? I just kept coming back to Jordan Travis. Travis is absolutely capable of leading the Noles to the college football playoffs.
2) Drake Maye, North Carolina
Choosing between Travis and Drake Maye is truly splitting hairs. Drake Maye was nearly unstoppable offensive player through the Tar Heel’s first 10 games. Then Maye and the UNC’s offense hit a a wall against Georgia Tech and never recovered, as the Tar Heels didn’t score over 27 points in a game the rest of the season.
I don’t expect a similar offensive stall in North Carolina this year. Maye is the reigning ACC Player of the Year, and has been on several pre-season All-American teams, and is considered a first-round NFL pick. Maye had a whopping 4,321 yards with 38 TD passes. I wouldn’t bet against him putting up similar numbers even with departed star WR Josh Downs.
3) Riley Leonard, Duke
Duke stunned everyone in the ACC with a 9-win season in 2022. That was in large part due to the steady rock-solid play of QB Riley Leonard. Leonard was one of the top dual-threat QB’s in the league throwing for nearly 3000 yards and 20 TDs. He also rushed for 699 yards and 13 TDs, while guiding the Blue Devil offense to 32.8 points per game.
I’ve already seen draft grades for him, in the 4th – 6th rounds. His current trajectory could move him even higher this season.
4) Brennan Armstrong, NC State
There were times 2 years ago when Brennan Armstrong looked like the best offensive player in the ACC. Last year new Virginia HC Tony Elliot aimed for more offensive balance, and it really handcuffed Armstrong. Now Armstrong is at NC State and is reunited with OC from his Virginia days Robert Anae.
Armstrong has had to battle the talented MJ Morris for the starting QB position at NC State, but I think this is Armstrong’s job to lose, and I just can’t get out of my head what he did when lit up defenses while at Virginia. If he can regain that form, there’s no question Armstrong is one of the best QBs in the ACC.
5) Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Cade Klubnik could very well top this list at some point. Right now as has been my history, I’ll always feel more comfortable with players that have more experience, but Klubnik’s potential is off the charts. He entered the ACCCG and led the Tigers to an ACC Title, and also played reasonably well in Clemson’s Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee. Under new OC Garrett Riley, his numbers could just explode.
He was highly regarded coming out of HS a couple of years back and now will take full control of the Clemson offense that has struggled at the QB position for the last two years.
