It’s finally time to release our SIS All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our team of selections for 2022, plus a few honorable mentions.

You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

These picks are meant to honor this season’s best-of-the-best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Offense

Position Name School
QB Drake Maye North Carolina
RB Trey Benson Florida State
WR Tyler Hudson Louisville
WR Josh Downs North Carolina
TE Oronde Gadsden II Syracuse
FLEX Zay Flowers Boston College
OT Dakota Davis Syracuse
OT Jordan McFadden Clemson
OG Ed Montilus North Carolina
OG Christopher Bleich Syracuse
OC Bryan Hudson Louisville

North Carolina’s Drake Maye is the leader of the offensive group and for good reason. He finished 10th in Heisman voting and was voted as our 2nd-Team All-American quarterback. Maye finished with 5,019 total yards and 45 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. Teammate Josh Downs caught 11 of those touchdowns. Downs came in as an honorable mention for our All-American team.

Florida State’s Trey Benson didn’t start the season as a starter but once given the reins had an excellent season finishing with 1,326 total yards and 10 touchdowns.

Syracuse right tackle Dakota Davis leads the offensive line group in Total Points. North Carolina’s Ed Montilus led the conference in Pass Blocking Total Points for guards.

Defense

Position Name School
DT DeWayne Carter Duke
DT Tyler Davis Clemson
EDGE Yasir Abdullah Louisville
EDGE KJ Henry Clemson
LB Cedric Gray North Carolina
LB Drake Thomas NC State
CB Aydan White NC State
CB Anthony Johnson Virginia
S Darius Joiner Duke
S Tanner Ingle NC State
FLEX Barrett Carter Clemson

Cedric Gray and Tanner Ingle both made our All-American teams. Gray finished 2nd in the country with 141 total tackles. Yasir Abdullah is the leader of the edge group with a conference leading 9.5 sacks. Aydan White is the most intriguing player as he led all ACC defenders in Total Points.

Specialists

Position Name School
K Christopher Dunn NC State
P Ben Kiernan North Carolina
Returner Key’Shawn Smith Miami

Lou Groza Award winner and SIS 1st-Team All-American Christopher Dunn had an excellent season as he missed only one kick. Ben Kiernan led the conference averaging 46.6 yards per punt. Key’Shawn Smith led all kick returners averaging 30.5 yards per kick (minimum 10 returns). 

Honorable Mentions

Name School
Israel Abanikanda Pittsburgh
A.T. Perry Wake Forest
Matthew Bergeron Syracuse
D’Mitri Emmanuel Florida State

Israel Abanikanda had a prolific season rushing for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns highlighted by his 320 yards and six touchdowns against Virginia Tech. 

Total Points, stats, and ranks as of 02/06/2023