By Matt Osborne
SouthernPigskin.com

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A look at the top true freshman at each ACC institution for the 2014 season.

Boston College DE Harold Landry

After Boston Colleges pass rush improved tremendously in 2013, the Eagles will now attempt to replace three starters along the defensive front, including star defensive end Kasim Edebali. A tremendous athlete, Landry turned down a handful of offers from some of the nations premier programs to sign his letter of intent with Boston College. Although he will need to continue to add weight, Landry should make an immediate impact rushing the passer.

Clemson WR Trevion Thompson

With the losses of Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant to the NFL, the Tigers will be looking for young playmakers to emerge on the perimeter. Clemson signed four wide receivers in its 2014 class, and Thompson appears to be the best of the bunch. His six-foot-three frame should prove to be incredibly useful in the red zone, and he will also be able to contribute in the vertical passing game.

Duke DT Edgar Cerenord

The Blue Devils return the vast majority of their starters in the back seven on defense, but must replace three starters along the defensive front. Duke does not have a lot of proven production at defensive tackle, which means that at least a couple of inexperienced players will be asked to be major contributors this fall. Cerenord was a late bloomer in the recruiting process, but he has a frame which should allow him to see the field in 2014.

Florida State RB Dalvin Cook

There is no question that Karlos Williams will be Florida States starting running back, but the Seminoles are in need of depth at the position with the losses of Devonta Freeman and James Wilder. Cook was rated as a five-star prospect coming out of high school, and he should prove to be a nice complement to Williams. While Williams is known for his physicality, Cook is the type of player capable of producing huge plays in the open field.

Georgia Tech A-back Myles Autry

Autry, whose brother is a wide receiver for Georgia Tech, was the consensus top prospect in the Yellow Jackets 2014 class. With the loss of Robert Godhigh, the Yellow Jackets will be searching for a speedy A-back to consistently make big plays in the ground game. Given the fact that Georgia Tech uses a rotation at the position, Autry will almost certainly see significant game action as a true freshman even if he doesnt win a starting job.

Louisville DE Henry Famurewa

The Cardinals finished second in the nation in getting to opposing quarterbacks last fall, but must replace 26 sacks which were lost to graduation. Famurewa is likely still too undersized to be an x9cevery downx9d player for Louisville, but he has the requisite speed and athleticism to cause havoc coming off the edge. Though he almost certainly wont break the starting lineup, Famurewa could become a regular presence on obvious passing situations.

Miami DE Chad Thomas

Miami has struggled getting after the quarterback the last couple of years, making the addition of Thomas, a five-star prospect, a very welcome sight. Thomas athleticism is off the charts, and he can be nearly unblockable when he pins his ears back to get after the passer. He will be given an opportunity to win a starting job during the summer, but will almost undoubtedly be a part of the rotation when the season starts.

NC State DE Kentavius Street

The Wolfpack finished last in the conference in rushing the passer last fall, and defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable is actively searching for players to help remedy that problem. Street turned down offers from a number of high-profile programs to sign with NC State, creating big expectations for his first season in Raleigh. With his 265-pound frame, he will not have to be pass-rush specialist this fall, only serving to increase his value.

North Carolina RB Elijah Hood

The Tar Heels are very high on returning sophomore running back T.J. Logan, but hood will be the most naturally-gifted running back on the North Carolina roster from day one. Ranked as a high four-star prospect by the vast majority of recruiting services, Hood is a very powerful runner who will be a nice complement to what Logan brings in the open field. Hood should get plenty of touches on short-yardage situations.

Pittsburgh WR Adonis Jennings

With the loss of Devin Street to the NFL, the Panthers will be looking for a wide receiver to emerge opposite of sophomore sensation Tyler Boyd. Though there is no guarantee that Jennings will win a starting job given what the Panthers have coming back at the position, his six-foot-three frame would give Pittsburgh a pair of dangerous threats in the vertical passing game. If he is able to grasp the offense, he will likely see some passes thrown his way this fall.

Syracuse WR K.J. Williams

The Orange finished 12th in the conference in passing offense a season ago and are hoping to become more dynamic through the air this fall. Williams has nice size for the position at six-foot-two, but also possesses the athleticism to earn his way onto the field as a true freshman. No Syracuse receiver caught more than three touchdown passes in 2013, and Williams has an opportunity to be an immediate difference-maker in the red zone.

Virginia DT Andrew Brown

Rated by some recruiting services as the top defensive tackle in the nation in the 2014 class, Brown is already the frontrunner to hold down one of Virginias starting positions in the interior of the defensive line. His combination of size, strength and athleticism is something which the majority of college seniors are not able to match. It would be a shock if he isnt one of the Cavaliers best defensive players by the end of the year.

Virginia Tech RB Shai McKenzie

The Hokies running back position was a relative disaster last season, as a number of players were lost before the start of the year. Sophomore Trey Edmunds is the starter heading into fall camp, but McKenzie will be given ample opportunities to showcase his tremendous talents for the coaching staff ahead of the opener. McKenzies physical running style is a perfect fit for what Virginia Tech has traditionally done on offense.

Wake Forest DE Rashawn Shaw

The Demon Deacons are set to return just ten starters in 2014, meaning that there is a good possibility that a handful of true freshmen will be asked to make significant contributions this fall. With everything that Wake Forest is losing in its pass rush, Shaw is undoubtedly a prime candidate to be one of those freshman contributors. Shaw is a bit undersized, but he is an explosive athlete who can cause problems for opposing signal callers.