No. 7. (tie) Jonathan Cooper, OL, North Carolina; Oday Aboushi, OL, Virginia
2011 stats: Cooper graded out at 86 percent last year, second-best on the team, and led the team with 47 regular-season knockdown blocks. Aboushi started all 13 games last year and was twice named the ACC's Offensive Lineman of the Week.
Previous ranking: Not ranked.
Making the case for Cooper and Aboushi: You can’t leave either guy off this list, as they should be the two best offensive linemen in the ACC. While this list is not based on NFL talent, it’s impossible to ignore the possibility that both could be first-round picks. Cooper has the most starting experience of any Tar Heel with 35 career starts. Aboushi is on the watch lists for the Outland and Lombardi trophies. Both players have talented running backs to block for once again and should be anchors for their respective lines.
No. 8 Joe Vellano, DL, Maryland
No. 10 Kyle Fuller, DB, Virginia Tech
No. 11 Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State
No. 12 Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
No. 13 James Gayle, DE, Virginia Tech
No. 14 Bryn Renner, QB, North Carolina
No. 15 Conner Vernon, WR, Duke
No. 16 Giovani Bernard, RB, UNC
No. 17 Dalton Freeman, C, Clemson
No. 18 Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson
No. 19 Lamarcus Joyner, S, Florida State
No. 20 Michael Campanaro, WR, Wake Forest
No. 21 Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, Georgia Tech
No. 22 Omoregie Uzzi, OG, Georgia Tech
No. 23 Bruce Taylor, LB, Virginia Tech
No. 25 Nikita Whitlock, NG, Wake Forest