No. 1: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Making the case for Winston: It’s an easy case to make at this point. Winston was college football’s best player in 2013, earning All-ACC, All-America and Heisman honors along the way. His 2013 season is arguably the best by any freshman quarterback in college football history, posting an adjusted Total QBR of 88.5 (second nationally) while passing for 40 touchdowns (most by a QB from an AQ conference), completing 67 percent of his passes and averaging 10.6 yards per throw, tops in the nation.
Winston made it all look easy in 2013, rarely playing in the fourth quarter and assembling a long highlight reel of spectacular plays -- from his opening act against Pitt in which he accounted for five touchdowns to his dominance in the ACC title game win over Duke.
But, of course, Winston saved his most compelling moment for last, leading Florida State on an 80-yard drive in the final 1:19 of the VIZIO BCS National Championship, hitting Kelvin Benjamin in the end zone for a 2-yard, game-winning touchdown.
All season, Winston was FSU’s emotional leader both on and off the field, easily making him the ACC’s top player of 2013.
No. 25 Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
No. 24 Jack Tyler, LB, Virginia Tech
No. 23 Tyler Boyd, WR, Pitt
No. 22 Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State
No. 21 Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami
No. 20 Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB, Boston College
No. 19 Ryan Switzer, WR/PR, North Carolina
No. 18 Bryan Stork, C, Florida State
No. 17 Jeremiah Attaochu, DE, Georgia Tech
No. 16 Anthony Harris, S, Virginia
No. 15 Kelby Brown, LB, Duke
No. 14 Kareem Martin, DE, North Carolina
No. 13 Telvin Smith, LB, Florida State
No. 12 Nikita Whitlock, NG, Wake Forest
No. 11 Rashad Greene, WR, Florida State
No. 10 Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke
No. 9 Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina
No. 7 Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State
No. 6 Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson
No. 5 Lamarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State
No. 4 Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
No. 3: Andre Williams, RB, Boston College
No. 2: Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh