ACC Football: Top 5 Candidates to Win Defensive Player of the Year Award

Nov 22, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Jalen Ramsey (8) during the game against the Boston College Eagles at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

Ranking the top five candidates to walk away as the winner of the ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the 2015 college football season.

The field is wide open for the ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award this year with Clemson’s Vic Beasley off to the NFL after wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks the last four years.

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Over the last four years, four schools have taken home the honor with Pittsburgh’s Aaron Donald, Florida State’s Bjoern Werner and Boston College’s Luke Kuechly taking home the award.

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The Seminoles have a chance to win their seventh ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award this year, but Virginia Tech has a loaded defense that could result in a Hokie winning the award for the first time since its inception in 1993 when Derrick Brooks won.

If it’s not a Virginia Tech player winning the award, it could still wind up in the state with the Virginia Cavaliers boasting one of the best sophomore defenders in the country in safety Quin Blanding.

He’s one of the five candidates to win the award, so let’s take a look at the rest of the field.

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