ACC 2023 DBs Preview

FSU already had a case as the best DB unit in ACC based on '22 stats – 2nd in expl play%, PBU%, AdjQBR; 1st in Yd/att & adj comp% – and they've only gotten better w/addition of Fentrell Cypress (PFF's top graded ACC CB). Replacing J-Rob's leadership & production is 1 real issue.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

GT's biggest step fwd last year was the secondary. While still a few too many big plays, went from allowing 8.7 yards/dropback to 6.3; 72.2 AdjQBR to 35.5; 28 TD/3 INT in '21 to 17/11. LaMiles Brooks is terrific: .43 yards/cov snap & 1 of top contested catch rates in ACC.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

Lville ranked 3rd in AdjQBR & 4th in pass D success% & led ACC in pass DEPA. Can they salvage Duck & Kelly? LOVE Quincy Riley: Led ACC CBs w/32.3% comp & didn't allow a TD. Was 2nd behind A. White in yd/target (4.2 to 4.1) & best ACC in corner in comp% on contested throws.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

Miami = boom or bust. Kinchens was a bonafide star & Stevenson among top DBs last 2 yrs, yet Miami gave up expl plays 16% of the time, was 2nd-to-last in AdjQBR & QBR on throws of 10+. Lot of upside with Kinchens, Williams & Couch + portal additions but it's buyer beware.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

UNC's pass DEPA was minus-124.63 – 3rd-worst in FBS & nearly 2x as bad as the ACC's next worst (WF). Perhaps addition by subtraction w/so many departures. Biggers & Allen have some upside; Like the Chatman addition from portal & Huzzie was a spring star. Still… long way to go.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

Pack led ACC in pass D success% & QBR on throws 10+ in '22. I'd put White & Battle up vs any CB duo in ACC — maybe FBS. Safety is bigger concern w/losses of Fagan & Ingle + transfer Robert Kennedy's entry into the 2024 presidential field (though in fairness, he looks yoked.)

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

Pitt led ACC in contested catch% & adjQBR & was 2nd in adj comp%. Return 2 really good veteran corners. Biggest ? is whether they get the same production up front (2nd in pressured dropbacks). Still… Pitt had best QBR in ACC by a wide margin when NOT getting pressure last year.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

Cuse was prototype bend-don't-break: led ACC in explosive rate & % throws going for 1D/TD. But also allowed highest adj comp% & had fewest contested catches. Lose 3 very good players in Chestnut, Williams and Carter. Cuse always seems to reload at DB though. Cautious optimism.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

3 of 7 DBs with 100+ snaps in coverage last year are gone from UVA incl 2 best in Johnson & Cypres. A lot rests on Clemson transfer Malcolm Greene at CB. I like the safeties. Antonio Clary showed some flashes last year. Could be something to build on.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

There was little to enjoy about VT's 2022… but the DBs were a positive, led by frosh Mansoor Delane, who allowed just 35% comps, 0 TDs & had the top incompletion% on contested catches in ACC. VT was also 3rd in pass def success%. Stroman needs to take a big step at safety.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

Only UNC was worse than Wake in pass DEPA. Ton of explosive plays, 13th in adj comp%, last in QBR on throws of 10+. Return real talent w/
Carson, Barnes & Mustapha… but only 106 of Wake's 540 dropbacks faced last year were all three on the field together. Gotta stay healthy.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023

One thing I did last year but forgot to do with these rankings yesterday was to include tiers…
Here's how I'd have the DBs…

1 FSU
2 NC State
3 Pitt
4 Clemson
–
5 Louisville
6 Miami
7 VT
8 GT
–
9 Wake
10 Cuse
–
11 Virginia
12 Duke
–
13 BC
14 UNC

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023

Also figured I'd offer initial (but far from definite) All-ACC guys. Here's DBs…

1st team:
DB Delane, VT
S Kinchens, Miami
S Brooks, GT
CB White, NCSU
CB Wiggins, Clemson

2nd team:
DB Devonshire, Pitt
S Phillips, Clemson
S Joiner, Duke
CB Riley, UL
CB Cypress, FSU

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023