No. 8. Joshua Nesbitt, QB, Georgia Tech

2009 numbers: He rushed for 1,037 yards and threw for another 1,701. He scored 108 points, just eight points shy of the ACC record for points scored by a junior. He threw for 10 touchdowns and had five interceptions. He averaged 121.5 passing yards per game and completed 46.3 percent of his passes.

Most recent ranking: Not ranked.

Making the case for Nesbitt: Pass or not, Nesbitt is the heart of Paul Johnson’s offense and he is invaluable to the entire team. And it’s not like he didn’t pass. Nesbitt was responsible for 37 plays of at least 20 yards, including 29 passes. Heading into 2009, only 48 players in NCAA history had both run and thrown for 1,000 yards in the same season. Nesbitt broke the school single-season and career records for rushing yards by a quarterback. He was only 25 yards short of the ACC record. His 2,069 career yards rushing make him the most prolific rushing quarterback in Tech history and ranks him second in ACC history. His three rushing touchdowns against FSU were the most the Seminoles had allowed since 1997. And had it not been for Nesbitt’s fourth-and-1 overtime run or game-winning touchdown, the Jackets would have lost to Wake Forest.

No. 9 Rodney Hudson, LG, Florida State

No. 10 Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College

No. 11 Allen Bailey, DE, Miami

No. 12 (tie) S Deunta Williams, CB Kendric Burney, UNC

No. 13 Bruce Carter, LB, North Carolina

No. 14 Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

No. 15 Brandon Harris, CB, Miami

No. 16 Jacory Harris, QB, Miami

No. 17 Tyrod Taylor, QB, Virginia Tech

No. 18 Donovan Varner, WR, Duke

No. 19 Alex Wujciak, LB, Maryland

No. 20 Montel Harris, RB, Boston College

No. 21 Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland

No. 22 Greg Reid, CB, Florida State

No. 23 Anthony Allen, RB, Georgia Tech

No. 24 Ras-I Dowling, CB, Virginia

No. 25 Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College