ACC Signing Day capsules
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) In a story Feb. 1 about North Carolina's recruiting class, The Associated Press erroneously reported the last name of a UNC running back who played last season. His name is T.J. Logan.
A corrected version of the story is below:
ACC Signing Day capsules
ACC signing day capsules
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Boston College
Top 25 Class: No
Best in class: A.J. Dillon, RB, Connecticut.
Best of the rest: Caleb Stoneburner, a 6-foot-4 receiver from Dublin, Ohio, who is the brother of NFL tight end Jake Stoneburner.
Late addition: QB Matt McDonald
One that got away: LB T.J. Gardner
How they'll fit in: BC struggled on offense the past two seasons despite a potent defense. Eleven of the 20 signees are on offense, including quarterbacks E.J. Perry and Tate Haynes.
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Clemson
Top 25 Class: Yes
Best in class: Tee Higgins, WR, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. With two-time, 1,000-yard receiver Mike Williams off to the NFL, the Tigers were in need of a tall, lanky playmaker on the outside and the 6-foot-4 Higgins seems to fit the bill. He should get a chance to play right away.
Best of the rest: Hunter Johnson, QB, Brownsburg, Indiana. Johnson, at 6-4, 200 pounds, was rated the No. 1 quarterback in the nation according to ESPN. Already enrolled, he'll be given every chance to battle for the starting spot held by Deshaun Watson much of the past three seasons. Watson gave up his senior season for the NFL draft.
Late addition: WR Will Swinney, the 5-foot-9 coach's son, will join the squad as a walk-on. He led Daniel High school in receptions, receiving yards and TD catches last fall.
One that got away: The Tigers didn't need much and landed everybody they targeted, spending much of this recruiting cycle building on its 2018 class with verbal commitments from next year's top quarterback Trevor Lawrence of Georgia. ''Fortunately, we didn't have any surprises'' in this group, recruiting coordinator Brandon Streeter said.
How they'll fit in: Higgins, like NFL receiver Sammy Watkins in 2011, is expected to play and start this fall. Johnson, at quarterback, will battle redshirt sophomore Kelly Bryant, and freshmen Zerrick Cooper and Tucker Israel, to become Watson's successor. Running back Travis Etienne Jr. of Jennings, Louisiana picked the Tigers over LSU without ever visiting Clemson and will add depth.
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Duke
Top 25 Class: No.
Best in class: Drew Jordan ranks at No. 21 among defensive ends by 247sports.com and turned down offers from 16 Power 5 programs.
Best of the rest: DL Victor Dimukeje, Axel Nyembwe.
Late addition: Dimukeje, who coach David Cutcliffe said didn't commit until Jan. 25.
One that got away: None - ''We really didn't deal with that, really at all,'' Cutcliffe said, adding that 22 of the 24 players who took official visits to Duke wound up signing with the school and the average length of a players' commitment was 221 days.
How they'll fit in: Cutcliffe says this class has ''multitudes of guys that can still play as freshmen'' and one area of immediate need appears to be in the secondary, which lost four key players to graduation. DB Marquis Waters enrolled early and will have the first chance to prove himself - the Blue Devils begin spring practice Friday.
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Florida State
Top 25 class: Yes
Best in class: RB Cam Akers - a native of Clinton, Mississippi - is one of the highest-ranked recruits in Fisher's tenure. Akers (5-foot-11, 213 pounds) was a quarterback in high school, throwing for 3,128 yards and 31 touchdowns last season, but he did rush for 2,105 yards with 34 TDs as he led his team to a state title.
Best of the rest: Joshua Kaindoh, DE, Baltimore. He attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, this past season where he had 41 tackles and 7.5 sacks last season. Kaindoh (6-6, 250) is rated as the nation's No. 2 defensive end and No. 9 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite.
Late addition: Marvin Wilson, DT, Bellaire, Texas. Wilson (6-4, 329) is rated as the nation's top defensive tackle and No. 6 overall in the 247Sports Composite. He entered the day as the top uncommitted target in the country.
One that got away: Levi Jones, LB, Austin, Texas. Jones chose Southern California. The Seminoles are lacking in youth and depth at linebacker.
How they'll fit in: Akers and Kaindoh could get playing time immediately. Both were early enrollees and will be participating in spring practices. WR D.J. Matthews could also contribute at a position that has had inconsistent play the past couple seasons.
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Georgia Tech
Top 25 Class: No
Best in class: LB Bruce Jordan-Swilling, the son of Tech graduate and 1991 NFL defensive player of the year Pat Swilling, is a four-star prospect from New Orleans.
Best of the rest: LB Jaquan Henderson and DB Tre Swilling, Jordan-Swilling's brother.
Late addition: OL Boe Tufele, who committed during a campus visit last week.
One that got away: K Joseph Bulovas, who decided last week on Alabama.
How they'll fit in: The departure of three-year starting quarterback Justin Thomas has pushed Matthew Jordan to the top of the depth chart. Jordan will begin spring practice as the starter with TaQuon Marshall second-team. Signee Tobias Oliver will compete with redshirt freshmen Lucas Johnson and Jay Jones to try and earn snaps in practice. ''All in all, I'm really pleased,'' coach Paul Johnson said. ''We'll know in three years how good they are.''
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Louisville
Top 25 Class: No
Best in class: RB Colin Wilson, a four-star prospect. The 6-1, 221-pounder had career rushing totals of 3,931 yards and 67 touchdowns.
Best of the rest: S C.J. Avery and CB Russ Yeast, son of former Kentucky standout and NFL receiver Craig Yeast.
Late addition: OL Mekhi Becton, who committed on Wednesday. Georgia, Michigan, Oregon and Virginia Tech were among the suitors for the 6-7, 335-pounder.
One that got away: DE Aaron Odom, who ended a roller-coaster recruiting process by going back to Mississippi State. The Mississippi native initially committed to the Bulldogs before flipping to Louisville after the schools exchanged defensive coordinators. He eventually settled on the SEC school after visiting last month.
How they'll fit in: Coach Bobby Petrino noted that a number of players at both the skill and line positions will get to prove themselves in practice and work their way into the rotation.
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Miami
Top 25 Class: Yes
Best in class: Jeff Thomas, WR, East Saint Louis, Illinois.
Best of the rest: D.J. Johnson, DE, Sacramento, California.; Navaughn Donaldson, OL, Miami; N'Kosi Perry, QB, Ocala, Florida.; DeeJay Dallas, ATH, Brunswick, Georgia.; Jhavonte Dean, CB, Homestead, Florida.
Late addition: Mike Harley Jr., WR, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
One that got away: Trevon Grimes, WR, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (chose Ohio State).
How they'll fit in: The Hurricanes' roster took serious hits after last season. QB Brad Kaaya left early for the NFL, backup running backs Joe Yearby (NFL) and Gus Edwards (transferring) are gone and defensive back Corn Elder provided the leadership on that side of the ball. Cade Weldon or N'Kosi Perry - both freshman quarterbacks - may be the pick to replace Kaaya, and Weldon being an early enrollee may help his chances.
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North Carolina
Top 25 Class: On the bubble.
Best in class: Offensive guard Jonah Melton, a lifelong UNC fan who missed his senior season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in April 2016.
Best of the rest: DE Jake Lawler, ATH C.J. Cotman, DT Xach Gill.
Late addition: CB Dazz Newsome picked North Carolina on Wednesday after previously being committed to Maryland.
One that got away: The Tar Heels would've liked to have WR Sage Surratt join his brother - QB Chazz Surratt signed here last year - but the Parade All-American picked Wake Forest.
How they'll fit in: Fedora says the two running backs in this class - Antwuan Branch and Michael Carter - have ''got to come in here and play for us'' right away and ''they don't have a choice, do they?'' Carter enrolled early while Branch will arrive after he graduates from high school in Tennessee. Starter Elijah Hood entered the NFL draft early while T.J. Logan exhausted his eligibility.
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North Carolina State
Top 25 class: No.
Best in class: LB Louis Acceus (Spring Valley, New York) was Rivals.com's No. 15 outside linebacker nationally and was a USA Today second-team all-American.
Best of the rest: Joshua Fedd-Jackson, OT, Montvale, New Jersey; Grant Gibson, DT, Charlotte, North Carolina; Antoine Thompson, WR, Plant City, Florida.
Late addition: DT Larrell Murchison, a defensive lineman out of Louisburg College, signed with N.C. State after Dave Doeren completed his signing-day news conference.
One that got away: LB Darius Hodge, last season's AP defensive prep player of the year for North Carolina out of Wake Forest, signed with Marshall.
How they'll fit in: The list of incoming players includes plenty of defensive linemen and linebackers. ''We just want to have a good stable of, not just depth, but competitive depth there,'' Doeren said. ''And we felt like we were able to do that.''
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Pittsburgh
Top 25 Class: No
Best in class: DB Paris Ford. The 6-foot, 175-pound Ford scored a combined 22 touchdowns during his senior year at Steel Valley High in suburban Pittsburgh, including six Pick 6s.
Best of the rest: TE Charles Reeves, Steubenville (Ohio) HS. The massive 6-foot-5, 280-pound Reeves caught 47 passes for 750 yards and eight touchdowns during his senior year.
Late addition: A.J. Davis, RB, Lakeland (Florida) HS. Davis made the Panthers wait until the last minute, announcing his signing on national television on Wednesday afternoon. The Panthers will take all the bodies they can get to replace James Conner, who is heading to the NFL.
One that got away: Lamont Wade, CB, Clairton (Pennsylvania). Pitt and rival Penn State were the finalists for the talented Wade, considered the top prep prospect in Pennsylvania. Wade ultimately committed to the Nittany Lions in December and enrolled last month.
How they'll fit in: Expect Ford to be given every opportunity to get into the lineup right away, though things don't always work out as planned. Cornerback Damar Hamlin, a four-star recruit for the Panthers in 2016, saw action in just two games even as Pitt struggled against the pass. Reeves could be a bit of a project but the Panthers love big tight ends. There will be plenty of competition in the backfield but Davis - who averaged 8 yards per carry as a senior - is durable and explosive.
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Syracuse
Top 25 Class: No.
Best in class: QB Tommy DeVito. The Don Bosco Prep graduate has one of the strongest arms in the country and held offers from Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Washington State. He was the first player to commit to Syracuse and kept his word.
Best of the rest: Ravian Pierce, TE. Pierce, who also had an offer from LSU, caught 50 passes for 426 yards and two touchdowns last season for Southwest Mississippi Community College.
Late addition: Ifeatu Melifonwu, DB, Grafton Memorial High School in Massachusetts.
One that got away: WR Josh Palmer of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He de-committed in mid-January and signed with Tennessee.
How they'll fit in: The big story for the Orange will be if junior quarterback Eric Dungey can make it through an entire season without suffering a debilitating injury. He's missed four games in each of his first two seasons at Syracuse, compliments of a number of hard hits to the head area that caused at least one concussion. His grasp last year of coach Dino Babers' new system was impressive before he went down with an injury after a shoulder-head hit. DeVito said Wednesday he does not plan to redshirt, and with the departures of QBs Austin Murphy and Rex Culpepper and former walk-on Zack Mahoney the only other quarterback with experience running the new offense, DeVito likely will have a chance to emerge sooner than expected.
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Virginia
Top 25 Class: No
Best in class: Germane Crowell, a defensive back from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, follows in the footsteps of his father and uncle in choosing Virginia. His father, also named Germane, ranks sixth in program history with 2,142 receiving yards and played in the NFL for five seasons with Detroit. His uncle, Angelo Crowell, was a linebacker who played five years in the NFL with Buffalo.
Best of the rest: QB Lindell Stone, of Dallas, Texas, threw for 3,380 yards and 38 touchdowns as a senior at Woodberry Forest, a private school within a half-hour of Charlottesville; RBs Lamont Atkins of Burke, Virginia, and Jamari Peacock of Yulee, Florida, who both enrolled in January; OL Ryan Nelson of Buena Park, California.
Late addition: None, but coach Bronco Mendenhall is expecting to sign two, or possibly more, transfers, including a quarterback with two years of eligibility remaining.
One that got away: OL Mekhi Becton, Highland Springs, Virginia, announced Wednesday he will attend Louisville.
How they'll fit in: Mendenhall has made it clear he's a willing participant in the transfer game. While some players might turn their nose up at a 2-10 record and go elsewhere, the coach seems to be attracting players like McGovern who can fill gaps and give the Cavaliers a chance at some success.
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Virginia Tech
Top 25 Class: On the bubble
Best in class: Devon Hunter, a defensive back from Indian River HS in Chesapeake, is a four- or five-star player who will be looked at as just the next in a long line of Hokies defensive backs with futures in the NFL. He had offers from dozens of schools, including many from Power Five conferences, and chose to stay in state.
Best of the rest: LB Dylan Rivers from Sherando HS in Virginia (flipped after originally committing to Penn State), DE Robert Porcher IV of Orlando, Florida (father was a three-time Pro Bowler in an 11-year NFL career with Detroit), DE TyJuan Garbutt (four-star player from Riverbend HS in Fredericksburg, Virginia)
Late addition: None
One that got away: Four-star wide receiver Tahj Capehart of Virginia Beach originally signed with the Hokies, but flipped and signed with Maryland. Coach Justin Fuente said he has no hard feelings. The kids have a right to make the decision that's best for them,'' he said.
How they'll fit in: The Hokies have three young quarterbacks on the roster, and Hendon Hooker will make it four. Fuente said he likes that by also adding transfer Bush (two years at Nebraska, one at Iowa Western Community College), it gives them a more mature voice in the quarterback room.
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Wake Forest
Top 25 Class: No.
Best in class: WR Sage Surratt, the younger brother of North Carolina QB Chazz Surratt who turned down offers from UNC, South Carolina and East Carolina.
Best of the rest: Early enrollee RB Christian Beal, DE Michael Allen, LB Jeffery Burley.
Late addition: OT Spencer Clapp was headed to Appalachian State until Sunday, when he opted for Wake Forest two days after visiting the campus.
One that got away: None. Coach Dave Clawson said he sent out 20 letters of intent, and received 20 signatures.
How they'll fit in: The Demon Deacons' class couldn't have been more balanced, with 10 offensive players and 10 on defense. Their Military Bowl win validated the developmental process Clawson began implementing upon his arrival after the 2013 season. He hopes he can redshirt most of the members of this class and give them time to grow.
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More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org
