By Dave Holcomb
SouthernPigskin.com

Follow us at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.  Become a fan at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

Dave Holcomb ranks his top 15 players in the ACC.

When one program wins six consecutive conference championships, it has clearly done the best job in the conference at recruiting. That is certainly the case for the Clemson Tigers.

The Tigers have dominated the ACC, going 47-3 in conference games, during the last six years. And one of those losses was to Notre Dame, who transitioned back into an Independent program after 2020.

Most of the players responsible for that success for the Tigers are off to the NFL, and yet, its still no surprise that one-third of our upcoming list are Clemson players. It arguably should have been more.

Here are the best 15 players in the ACC ahead of the 2021 season:

15. Alec Lindstrom, C, Boston College
Brother of 2018 NFL first-round pick Chris Lindstrom, Lindstrom is the lone offensive lineman to make our list. He is receiving All-America attention this summer. Last season, Lindstrom earned All-ACC first-team honors. He played every single snap in 2020.

14. SirVocea Dennis, LB, Pitt
The junior linebacker led the Panthers with 14.5 tackles for loss and is returning as Pitts leading tackler. He had 57 total tackles, 4.0 sacks and 6 quarterback hurries in 2020. His 14.5 tackles for loss was tied for third-most in the ACC last year.

13. Nolan Turner, S, Clemson
The first of five Tigers on our list, Turner is taking advantage of his extra year of eligibility, returning for a fifth season. As a senior, he was second for Clemson with 54 total tackles. He also had 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 pass breakups and 3 interceptions. Turners return gives Clemson veteran leadership and tremendous depth in its secondary.

12. KeiTrel Clark, CB, Louisville
The junior defensive back stands at just 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, but his 10 pass breakups were tied for first in the ACC. He also had 36 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and an interception. Entering his second season at Louisville, Clark figures to be in the conversation of best defensive backs in the ACC at the end of the year.

11. Jaquarii Roberson, WR, Wake Forest
Wake Forest played fewer games than every other school in the ACC, yet Roberson still finished third in the ACC in receiving yards (926) and catches (62). Thats because he led the conference in yards per game and receptions per game. He also finished second with 8 receiving touchdowns. Roberson is expected to again be among the conference wide receiver leaders and could threaten to be the ACCs best wideout in 2021.

10. Joey Blount, S, Virginia
An Atlanta native, Blount was a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, which is the Academic Heisman Trophy, in 2020. Despite missing half the season, he starred on the field as well. Blount posted 25 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 3 quarterback hurries, 2 pass breakups, a sack and an interception in just five games last year. He was fourth on his team in tackles per game and is returning to take advantage of an extra year of eligibility.

9. Zonovan Knight, RB, NC State
The only running back on the list, Knight finished eighth in the ACC in rushing last year, but second among running backs that will play in the ACC this fall. Knight rushed for 788 yards and 10 touchdowns with a 5.5 yards per carry average. He also caught 20 passes for 136 yards and returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Knight comes into the season as the most dangerous running back in the ACC.

8. Tyler Davis, DT, Clemson
Davis has started since his first game as a freshman in 2019 and is part of a dynamic interior defensive front for the Tigers. Davis was third on the team in tackles for loss per game last year with 5.0. He also finished with 13 total tackles, 2.0 sacks and one quarterback hurry despite missing five games. If fully healthy this season, he could be much higher on this list at the end of 2021.

7. DEriq King, QB, Miami
King will turn 24 before the season starts, but he returns for his sixth college season due to a redshirt and the extra year of eligibility from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Miami Hurricanes are more than happy to have him back. The veteran signal caller was fourth in the ACC with a 8.2 yards per pass average last year. He had 23 passing touchdowns versus 5 interceptions while averaging 244.2 passing yards per game. King also had 538 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground. The Hurricanes are going through a lot of changes on defense this offseason, but the return of King keeps Miami in contention for the Coastal division crown.

6. Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
The junior wideout enters this season as the best wide receiver who was healthy in the conference last year. Flowers led the ACC with 9 receiving touchdowns in 2020. His 15.9 yards per catch average was third in the ACC among receivers with at least 50 catches, and he posted 56 receptions and 892 yards. With tight end Hunter Long, who led the Eagles in receptions, departing, Flowers should see even more opportunities to shine in 2021.

5. Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
With Wilson making my top 5, NC State is the only other school other than Clemson with multiple players on this list. Wilson led the ACC in total tackles (108) and tackles per game (10.8). He also led the Wolfpack with 11.5 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions. Wilson is the best player on an NC State defense that returns nine starters. With Wilson and so much experience returning, the Wolfpack hope to be contending for nine wins and second place in the ACC Atlantic.

4. Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
He didnt play at all in 2020, but Ross appears fully ready to return to the field for fall camp. He is a huge difference maker. In 2019, Ross led the Tigers with 66 receptions while posting 865 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. Clemsons other top receiver from 2019, Tee Higgins, and the teams top three pass catchers from 2020, Amari Rodgers, Cornell Powell and Travis Etienne, are in the NFL. The Tigers need Ross more than ever to be the special receiver he can be.

3. Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
The top defensive player on our list, Bresee became the second ACC Freshman Defensive Player of the year in Clemson history. Bresee posted 23 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 3 quarterback hurries, 2 pass breakups and a blocked kick in his first college season. The sky’s the limit in the next two years for Bresee. He and Davis are the newest dominant pass-rushing threat at Clemson.

2. D.J. Uiagalelei, QB, Clemson
He has just two starts, but Uiagalelei played so incredibly in those two games that some might argue he deserves the top spot on this list. As it is, he slots in second overall and first for his team, which on our list features five of the ACCs top 15 players. Uiagalelei went 59 of 85 (69.4%) on pass attempts with 781 yards and 4 touchdowns in his two starts. He also rushed for 2 touchdowns in those two games and didnt throw an interception. His dual-threat ability will keep Uiagalelei in contention for ACC Offensive Player of the Year in 2021.

1. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
Despite all the talent for Clemson, its hard not to place Howell at the top of this list. He returns having led the ACC with 3,586 passing yards and 30 touchdowns last year. And while Trevor Lawrence averaged about 17 more passing yards per game, Howell had 0.9 additional yards per pass attempt. The Tar Heels will be without their dynamic duo in the rushing attack. Theyll need Howell to post superstar numbers again to maintain the same level of offense. If he does, North Carolina is the favorite to face Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.