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The Atlantic Coast Conference is deep at quarterback this fall. Cade Klubnik and Kevin Jennings help lead their respective offenses at Clemson and SMU. But they need their offensive line to flourish in ACC play.
Even incoming head coach Bill Belichick needs his trenches to ease into his highly anticipated role. His past New England Patriots teams were stout along the line of scrimmage in protecting Tom Brady. He'll need a stellar front five out the gate for North Carolina.
Do the Tar Heels make the cut? What about the five protecting Klubnik and Jennings? It's a deep OL group, but here's the top five OL units in the ACC this fall.
5. North Carolina
Belichick is facing roster attrition right away in Chapel Hill. However, his OL unit is considered the most experienced.
The eight-time Super Bowl winning head coach welcomes back three starters via Mack Brown. Right tackle Treyvon Green returns along with center Austin Blaske and left guard Aidan Banfield. Both Blaske and Banfield even withdrew their names from the College Football Transfer Portal.
Howard Sampson is still a notable departure here, as he's off to Texas Tech. But UNC gained four-star portal addition Daniel King via Temple. Former Alabama OL Miles McVay is another on board at Chapel Hill. Belichick needs to trust the mix of withdrawn portal entries and the new additions to boost this unit.
4. Duke
Darian Mensah looks like the luckiest QB newcomer in the ACC. The high-profile transfer has four experienced starters along the line.
The dual-threat left Tulane following an epic 2024 with an astonishing $8 million NIL deal attached to him. He gets Bruno Fina protecting his blindside in his return for his senior campaign.
Brian Parker II forms a stout tackle tandem with Fina. He's on the Outland Trophy watchlist. Justin Pickett (left guard) and Matt Craycraft (center) comprise the interior.
3. SMU
Jennings doesn't need to constantly get on the run. Not with the massive amount of snaps this front line have recorded.
Savion Byrd once earned D.J. Humphries comparisons out of high school as a four-star talent. Byrd is now a fixture at LT here. Fellow senior Logan Parr mans guard next to him.
PJ Williams comes back to the hilltop at right tackle. Head coach Rhett Lashlee even landed a high-profile college football recruiting win for the trenches: Nabbing five-star tackle Dramodd Odoms from Lamar High in Houston.
2. Miami
Mario Cristobal understands the importance of line play. He won a national title protecting Hurricane QBs.
The former tackle has Francis Mauigoa as his next trench talent. He's another Outland watch list candidate. Anez Cooper completes the right side of the line with him.
Seniors Markel Bell and Ryan Rodriguez help fill the left. Matthew McCoy adds his own experience at LT. Prized four-star freshman signing Seuseu Alofaituli fuels optimism for the future of Miami's trenches.
1. Clemson
The reigning ACC champs and Dabo Swinney welcome back the most experienced OL group here. With four of five starters back to keep Klubnik upright — and allow him to shred defenses.
Tristan Leigh protects the QB's back. Leigh brings the prototypical build (6-foot-6, 315-pounds) and athleticism to climb on league draft boards. Blake Miller mans the right in forming the top tackle duo in the conference.
Center Ryan Linthicum and right guard Walker Parks sprinkle in their presence and experience. The latter draws praise for his quick feet (runs a 4.95 time in the 40) and destructive blocks on pull plays. Juniors Colin Sadler and Harris Sewell will compete for the open LG spot. But the Tigers' OL unit ignites thoughts of a return to the College Football Playoffs in Death Valley.
