ACC Players Selected in the NFL Draft

Listed below are the 2013 NFL draft picks from each ACC school as well as the number of prospects ESPN felt were worthy of listing as potential picks. Boston College was shutout, as was Georgia Tech. BC's coach did not survive the whole trying to win without any talent experiment, and one wonders if Paul Johnson, with an offensive system that is tough to sell to recruits, should also count his days.

Boston College

• 8 players listed as prospects but none drafted

Clemson

• 12 players listed as prospects and 4 drafted, including 1 in the first round
• WR DeAndre Hopkins (1^st round to Texans)
• DE Malliciah Goodman (4^th round to Falcons)
• S Jonathan Meeks (5^th round to Bills)
• RB Andre Ellington (6^th round to Cardinals)

Duke

• 6 players listed as prospects but only 1 drafted
• QB Sean Renfree (7^th round to Falcons)

Florida State

• 20 players listed as prospects and 11 drafted, including 3 in the first round
• QB E.J. Manuel (1^st round to Bills)
• DE Bjoern Werner (1^st round to Colts)
• CB Xavier Rhodes (1^st round to Vikings)
• DE Cornelius Carradine (2^nd round to 49ers)
• OT Menelik Watson (2^nd round to Raiders)
• RB Chris Thompson (5^th round to Redskins)
• OLB Brandon Jenkins (5^th round to Redskins)
• PK Dustin Hopkins (6^th round to Bills)
• OLB Nick Moody (6^th round to 49ers)
• ILB Vince Williams (6^th round to Steelers)
• DT Everett Dawkins (7^th round to Vikings)

Georgia Tech

• 10 players listed as prospects but none drafted

Maryland

• 13 players listed as prospects but only 1 drafted
• WR Kevin Dorsey (7^th round to Packers)
• Despite a very productive career, DT Joe Vellano did not hear his name called.

Miami

• 13 players listed as prospects but only 2 drafted
• CB Brandon McGee (5^th round to Rams)
• RB Mike James (6^th round to Bucs)

North Carolina

• 11 players listed as prospects and 5 drafted, including 2 in the first round
• OG Jonathan Copper (1^st round to Cards)
• DT Sylvester Williams (1^st round to Broncos)
• RB Giovani Bernard (2^nd round to Bengals)
• OT Brennan Williams (3^rd round to Texans)
• OG Travis Bond (7^th round to Vikings)
• Kevin Reddick, who managed to kick Owen Spencer and punch Jarvis Williams in the same game and somehow avoid suspension, went undrafted. Good.

North Carolina State

• 14 players listed as prospects and 3 drafted
• CB David Amerson (2^nd round to Redskins)
• QB Mike Glennon (3^rd round to Bucs)
• S Earl Wolff (5^th round to Eagles)

Virginia

• 8 players listed as prospects but only 1 drafted
• OG Oday Aboushi (5^th round to Jets)

Virginia Tech

• 10 players listed as prospects but only 2 drafted
• WR Corey Fuller (6^th round to Lions)
• OT Vinston Painter (6^th round to Broncos)

Wake Forest

• 7 players listed as prospects but only 1 drafted
• FB Tommy Bohanon (7^th round to Jets)

The ACC had a total of 31 players drafted, over a third of which came from FSU. Six players were selected in the first round with half of those coming from the Seminoles. With Florida State losing six of its front seven defenders and its starting quarterback, Clemson, which retained Tajh Boyd, looks like a good bet to be preseason favorites to win the Atlantic and the ACC. And, hopefully, things will not get too ugly for first year Pack coach Dave Doeren and whoever his quarterback is when they make their first trip to Tallahassee. Additionally, one can also hope that the veteran Pack defensive line will be able to dominate what will be a very green Tarheel offensive line next year after UNC lost three linemen in the draft.

And now for some draft facts that make you go hmm.

Aside from FSU, no ACC team had more players drafted than UConn, which saw five players picked off a 5-7 Big East team. The Huskies did upset future ACC member Louisville last season. The Cardinals did not have a single player selected in the draft.

Other schools that got shut out included Arizona, Arizona State, East Carolina, Minnesota, future ACC member Pittsburgh, and Texas Tech. Doeren's old school, Northern Illinois, also went without having anyone drafted, which is hopefully a sign that he will be able to do more with less.

Noted football powerhouses Arkansas-Pine Bluff, California of Pennsylvania, Chadron State, Colorado State-Pueblo, Cornell, Elon, Florida A&M, Harding, Harvard, Jacksonville State, Missouri Southern State, Missouri Western, Northeastern State, Princeton, Southern Utah, Tennessee-Martin, Valdosta State, and William & Mary all had one player drafted, which was just as many as Auburn, Boise State, BYU, Michigan, and Oklahoma State.

Looking ahead to next year, Pack seniors Dontae Johnson (great size for a CB at 6-3) and Rob Crisp (has all the physical attributes to play tackle at the next level) seem to be the players most likely to hear their names called in the NFL draft. Darryl Cato-Bishop, who has had a productive career at defensive end but lacks elite athleticism, is also a possibility, along with receivers Quintin Payton (great size at 6-4) and Rashard Smith, who I think will have a breakout season in the Pack's hurry-up, spread offense. Junior T.Y. McGill is an early entry candidate, and one could see Pete Thomas gauging NFL interest if he wins the starting QB job and has a solid junior year since Jacoby Brissett is likely to take over the reins at quarterback in 2014.