Maryland's three first team players were third-most among conference schools, trailing only Virginia (5) and Virginia Tech (4). Florida State also had three first teamers while Miami, Wake Forest, Clemson and Georgia Tech each had two. In four years now, head coach Ralph Friedgen has had a total of 35 players named either first or second team All-ACC. By comparison, the school had 38 players named to the first and second team from 1985-2000.
Jackson led the ACC in tackles with 123 and was the leading vote-getter among linebackers. He trailed only Miami's Antrelle Rolle among defensive players receiving votes and earned 32 more than Butkus finalist Ahmad Brooks of Virginia. Merriman was the second-leading vote-getter of four defensive lineman to receive first team all-league. The junior finished tied for eighth in the league in tackles, tied for second in sacks and TFLs and first in forced fumbles. The first team mention is the first for both players -- both juniors -- with Jackson having earned second team status last year and Merriman being a first-time honoree.
On offense, Brooks was a first team selection for the second straight year. Foxworth and Podlesh were each second team last season while Kelley was named honorable mention in his first season as a starter. Novak's honorable mention makes it the third straight year that the ACC's all-time leading scorer will have earned some form of ACC recognition (he was first team in 2002 and 2003).
OFFENSE | First Team | Second Team | Honorable Mention |
Quarterback | Bryan Randall, Sr., VT (167) | Brock Berlin, Sr., Miami (100) | Darian Durant, Sr., UNC (32) |
Running Back | Alvin Pearman, Sr., UVa (181) Chris Barclay, Jr., WF (163) | Frank Gore, Jr., Miami (87) Leon Washington, Jr., FSU (83) | Chad Scott, Sr., UNC (32) |
Wide Receiver | Airese Currie, Sr., Clem. (152) Calvin Johnson, Fr., GaT (140) | Chauncey Stovall, Sr., FSU (125) Roscoe Parrish, Jr., Miami (113) |
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Tight End | Heath Miller, Jr., UVa (186) | Jeff King, Jr., VT (33) |
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Tackle | Alex Barron, Sr., FSU (157) D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jr., UVa (106) | Chris Myers, Sr., Miami (72) Jon Dunn, Sr., VT (47) | Ray Willis, Sr., FSU (46) Jimmy Martin, Jr., VT (43) Willie McNeill, Sr., UNC (38) |
Guard | Elton Brown, Sr., UVa (196) C.J. Brooks, Sr., Md. (118 | Steve Vallos, So., WF (85) Kyle Ralph, Jr., UNC (78) | Cedric Johnson, Sr., Clem. (65) Leroy Harris, So., NCS (48) |
Center | Jason Brown, Sr., UNC (133) | Zac Yarbrough, Sr., UVa (43) | Will Montgomery, Jr., VT (37) Joel Rodriguez, Sr., Miami (37) |
DEFENSE | First Team | Second Team | Honorable Mention |
Defensive Line | Darryl Tapp, Jr., VT (142) Shawne Merriman, Jr., Md. (138) Travis Johnson, Sr., FSU (134) Mario Williams, So., NCS (107) | Manny Lawson, Jr., NCS (106) Jim Davis, Sr., VT (82) Eric Henderson, Jr., GaT (78) Chauncey Davis, Sr., FSU (67) | Orien Harris, Jr., Miami (55) Andrew Hoffman, Sr., UVa (50) Baraka Atkins, So., Miami (43) Eric Moore, Sr., FSU (37) Jonathan Lewis, Jr., VT (35) Eric Coleman, Sr., Clem. (34) |
Linebacker | D'Qwell Jackson, Jr., Md. (148) Leroy Hill, Sr., Clem. (143) Ahmad Brooks, So., UVa (116) | Darryl Blackstock, Jr., UVa (113) Gerris Wilkinson, Jr., GaT (79) Ernie Sims, So., FSU (68) | Jonathan Abbate, Fr., WF (58) Chris Reis, Jr., GaT (35) A.J. Nicholson, Jr., FSU (33) Roger McIntosh, Jr., Miami (33) |
Defensive Back | Antrel Rolle, Sr., Miami (160) Jimmy Williams, Jr., VT (118) James Butler, Sr., GaT (89) Antonio Cromartie, So., FSU (78) | John Talley, So., Duke (73) Eric King, Sr., WF (64) Bryant McFadden, Sr., FSU (58) Domonique Foxworth, Sr., Md. (57) Justin Miller, Jr., Clem. (57) | Vincent Fuller, Sr., VT (50) Tye Hill, Jr., Clem. (50) Chris Kelley, Sr., Md. (43) Pat Watkins, Jr., FSU (42) Andre Maddox, Sr., NCS (40) Gerald Sensabaugh, Sr., UNC (35) Greg Threat, Jr., Miami (33) |
SPECIAL TEAMS | First Team | Second Team | Honorable Mention |
Placekicker | Brandon Pace, So., VT (135) | Travis Bell, Fr., GaT (66) | Connor Barth, Fr., UNC (47) Nick Novak, Sr., Md. (47) |
Punter | Ryan Plackemeier, Jr., WF (153) | Adam Podlesh, So., Md. (111) |
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Specialist | Devin Hester, So., Miami (158) | Justin Miller, Jr., Clem. (101) |
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