Heading into the 2025 College Football season, the ACC promises to be one of the most wide open conferences thanks in part to some of it's explosive offenses. From explosive running backs and go-to receivers to tight ends leading their team in production, this list highlights the top five returning offensive weapons in the conference. These rankings are based heavily on last season’s numbers, offering a clear picture of who’s already producing at a high level and ready to take center stage this fall.
Ranking the Top 5 returning non-QBs in the ACC
Here are the five non-quarterback offensive playmakers to keep your eyes on in 2025
5. Justin Joly (TE, NC State)
After steadily developing at UConn and breaking out in his first season with the Wolfpack, Justin Joly enters 2025 as one of the most reliable tight ends in the country. In 2024, Joly led the team in receiving with 43 catches, 661 yards and 4 touchdowns, showcasing consistency by logging two to five receptions in every game. His production ranked second among ACC tight ends, trailing only Syracuse’s Oronde Gadsden II, who the Chargers drafted in the fifth round this spring. Now, with star receiver Kevin Concepcion transferring to Texas A&M, Joly becomes even more of a focal point for NC State's passing attack.
4. Jamal Haynes (RB, Georgia Tech)
Jamal Haynes returns as the engine of Georgia Tech’s backfield. In 2024, he tallied 944 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 169 carries, while adding 28 receptions for 166 yards and three more scores through the air. The redshirt senior topped 1,200 total yards in 2023, routinely challenging defenses to stop him. Haynes finished top 10 in the ACC in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and yards per game (72.6) last season, delivering in clutch moments. Against North Carolina on October 12, he assembled a 170-yard, two-touchdown performance, including the 68-yard game-winning score in the final 30 seconds. Even with quarterback Haynes King contributing heavily to the run game, Haynes is primed for more high-impact moments in the Yellow Jackets' ground attack.
3. Demond Claiborne (RB, Wake Forest)
As the only returning running back in the ACC to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark last season, Demond Claiborne enters 2025 as one of the league’s most proven backs. The rising senior rushed for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2024, while emerging as a pass-catching threat with 23 receptions, 254 yards and 2 touchdowns—a massive jump from just 30 receiving yards combined in his first two years. Claiborne recorded four 100-yard rushing games, with the team going undefeated when he surpassed 120 yards on the ground. Ball security became a concern late in the year, but if he can clean that up, Claiborne is a strong bet to turn in another 1,000-yard season.
2. Antonio Williams (WR, Clemson)
After an injury cut his sophomore season short, Antonio Williams bounced back in a big way in 2024, reminding the ACC of his dynamic playmaking ability. The redshirt sophomore hauled in 75 receptions for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns, tied for the most receiving scores in the conference alongside Miami’s Xavier Restrepo. A threat in more than just the passing game, Williams carried the rock seven times for 101 rushing yards. His breakout moment came in a 24-20 road win over Pittsburgh, where he posted 13 catches for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns, keeping Clemson’s ACC title hopes alive. With 2026 first-round hopeful Cade Klubnik returning under center, Williams joins Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore to form what could be the most dangerous receiving trio in the nation.
1. Desmond Reid (RB, Pittsburgh)
A dual-threat weapon out of the backfield, Desmond Reid enters his senior season as the league's most explosive returning offensive weapon. In his first year at Pitt after transferring from Western Carolina, Reid posted 966 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, while emerging as the Panthers’ top returning pass-catcher with 52 receptions, 579 yards and 4 touchdowns. Reid’s 87.5 rushing yards per game ranked fifth in the ACC, trailing only backs who’ve since departed for the NFL. He also notched three 100+ yard receiving games for the Panthers, an exceptional stat for a running back. With his reliable production on the ground and through the air, Reid will continue carrying the load for the Pitt offense in 2025.