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ACC Football: How did the ACC become the nation’s premier conference?

By Justin Dottavio

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: (EDITORS NOTE: Retransmission with alternate crop.) Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers reacts during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: (EDITORS NOTE: Retransmission with alternate crop.) Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers reacts during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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Playmakers

Miami has been NFL U for quite some time, but a recent fall off in talent at the end of the Golden era really hurt. Turn to 2017- Miami will be begging their defensive line not to leave early as guys like RJ McIntosh and Kendrick Norton look to have All-ACC type seasons. Mark Walton could be the ACC’s best tailback and speedy WR Ahmmon Richards are dynamic playmakers.

FSU has elite safety Derwin James that will do a bit of everything ala Jabril Peppers. Clemson, FSU, NC State, and BC have D-Line studs in Christian Wilkins, Bradley Chubb, Harold Landry, Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns. The ACC is loaded with defensive talent, where a top 50 caliber NFL draft pick in Micah Kiser, the ILB from UVA, isn’t even a top 15 player in the conference.

On offense; the ACC has studs like Richards and Walton, but also Jackson, WR Nyqwan Murray, WR Deon Cain, WR Cam Phillips, and athletes like Quadree Henderson, Jaylen Samuels and Syracuse QB Eric Dungey, as well as Duke’s Jones.

Then there’s Cam Akers the Noles true freshman and answer for Dalvin Cook heading to the NFL. If you aren’t excited to see Miami’s Jeff Thomas and FSU’s Akers you don’t have a pulse- and to see how offensive gurus like Richt and Fisher get them involved early will be a treat.

Next: Ranking the top 50 players in college football in 2017

The SEC has gotten all the notriety and hype over the course of the past decade. The Clemson Tigers and Dabo Swinney officially put them on notice. This wasn’t just a fluke. It was a changing of the guard. ACC football is here to stay.

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