The 10 best players in the ACC

The ACC has some of the most talented players in the country, as evidenced by the conference's presence in the early All-American predictions. In both ESPN's and Phil Steele's preseason All-American lineups, the ACC had the second-highest representation (behind the SEC, if you hadn’t guessed). Jameis Winston and eight other first-round draft picks may be gone, but there is still plenty of talent to go around in the ACC this year.

Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh

Boyd comes into his junior year at Pitt with an already impressive record. With 78 catches for 1,261 yards in 2014, he's hit the 1,000-yard plateau in each of his first two years with the Panthers. The only other player to have two 1,000-yard years at the school? Larry Fitzgerald. With a defense that will likely struggle, Pitt will need Boyd to put up similar numbers in 2015, after he serves his Week 1 suspension.

Landon Turner, G, North Carolina

It can be difficult to measure the skill of a single offensive lineman, but it seems like everyone can agree Landon Turner is one of the best. He ended with an 87 percent block success rate in 2014, and will lead the Tar Heel offensive line as a four-year starter. If the line keeps quarterback Marquise Williams protected, North Carolina and its 10 returning starters on offense should be set on that side of the ball.

Jeremy Cash, S, Duke

The ACC is the best conference in the country when it comes to defensive backs, which is why this list is littered with them. Cash's 111 tackles in 2014 ranked top-10 in the conference, and he's already one of the ACC's all-time leaders in forced fumbles. He was the only defensive back in the country last year with over 100 tackles, five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He'll be all over the field again in 2015.

Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech

Fuller played with a broken wrist for most of the 2014 season and was still an elite corner. His 15 passes defended ranked top-10 in the country, and you can expect him to add to his two-year total of eight interceptions at Virginia Tech, a dark-horse pick to make the ACC championship game this season.

Roberto Aguayo, K, Florida State

Aguayo followed his Lou Groza Award-winning 2013 season with a Consensus All-America selection in 2014, and he doesn't seem to be slowing down. His 92.3 percent field-goal success rate is the best of any kicker in NCAA history, and he's never missed an extra point. The only thing Florida State has to worry about is whether Aguayo leaves for the NFL after this year.

Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

Watson is the preseason ACC Player of the Year, and he has the skills and support to live up to the expectations. Wide receivers Mike Williams and Artavis Scott were both second-team All-ACC in 2014, and that was with Watson sidelined for a large portion of the season with an ACL tear and right hand injury. The biggest question is whether Watson can stay healthy for the entire year.

Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State

You can argue that Ramsey and Kendall Fuller are the two best corners in the country. Ramsey can play both corner and safety (which he did in his freshman year) at an elite level. He's already projected to be a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, and isn't above a little self-promotion. Ramsey tweeted out in June, "There's not another athlete who has the resume I have had in college since I've been a freshmen! Straight up!" Debatable, but you have to love the confidence.

James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh

Conner's stats speak for themselves. His 1,765 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns were both best in the ACC and top-10 in the country, and his 5.8 yards per attempt were top-10 in ACC history. The reigning ACC Player of the Year has the ability to get Heisman buzz in 2015, but we don't know if first-year coach Pat Narduzzi will run the ball as much as Paul Chryst did.

Dadi Nicolas, DE, Virginia Tech

Nicolas had a breakout 2014, with 18 tackles for loss and nine sacks, both among the top three in the conference. Virginia Tech's defensive line is loaded, featuring Nicolas and high-school teammate Luther Maddy. Everyone will be watching Virginia Tech's opener against Ohio State; Nicolas had two sacks in the Buckeyes' only loss last season.

Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech

As a redshirt freshman, Hodges burst onto the scene in 2014. He broke a number of Virginia Tech receiving records for a tight end, and he might just be the biggest red-zone threat in the ACC. This guy will only get better, and one day he could be playing on Sundays.