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2012 postseason top 25 players: No. 1

Drumroll please ...

No. 1. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson

2012 stats: He ranked No. 5 in the country in passing efficiency at 165.59, No. 10 in passing yards with 3,896, and No. 14 in passing yards per game at 299.69. He threw for an ACC-record 36 touchdowns with 13 interceptions, and was responsible for a total of 46 touchdowns, also an ACC record. He finished seventh in the country in total offense (339.23).

Previous ranking: No. 6

Making the case for Boyd: Just ask the ACC coaches, who voted Boyd as the ACC’s overall and offensive Player of the Year for 2012. Boyd was the leader of Clemson’s record-setting offense, and he showed significant improvement from 2011, including his decision-making and his ability to run. He delivered an ACC single-game record on Nov. 17 when he accounted for eight touchdowns against NC State. Boyd orchestrated an offense that set school records in scoring, with 41 points per game, and in total offense, averaging 512.7 yards. Clemson ranked ninth nationally in total offense and sixth in the nation in scoring. His decision to return instead of leave early for the NFL gave the program -- and the ACC -- a true Heisman contender for 2013.

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