University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Grant Halverson
Howell Voted ACC Preseason Player Of The Year, Ezeudu, Grimes Join Him on Preseason All-ACC Team
July 27, 2021 | Football
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Led by preseason player of the year Sam Howell, the University of North Carolina football program has three players represented on the 2021 Preseason All-ACC Team, announced by the league office on Tuesday.
Howell is joined on the All-ACC team by offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu and defensive back Tony Grimes.
Howell enters his junior season as the overwhelming favorite to earn ACC Player of the Year honors after receiving 114 of 146 votes from the conference's media members.
The Indian Trail, N.C., product landed on the All-ACC second team in 2020 after leading the ACC with 30 touchdown passes and 3,586 passing yards. The Heisman Trophy candidate has racked up 68 total TD passes over his first two seasons, the most through a sophomore year in ACC history and are tied for the UNC program record.
Ezeudu was an All-ACC third team selection in 2020. The junior from Lawrenceville, Ga., started all 10 games he appeared in last season and earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors on Dec. 14.
Grimes came on strong at the end of his true freshman season by making four starts at defensive back and appeared in all 12 games on special teams in 2020. He amassed 14 tackles, four pass breakups, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. The Virginia Beach, Va., native had a season-high three stops, two PBU and a sack against No. 5 Texas A&M in the Orange Bowl.
On Monday, the Tar Heels were picked to win the ACC Coastal in a vote by media members covering the league. The Tar Heels total of 979 included 109 of the 147 first-place votes. Carolina also claimed the second-most votes to win the 2021 ACC Championship.
Carolina enters the 2021 season continuing a remarkable turnaround that has seen the Tar Heels go from two wins in 2018 to the Orange Bowl in 2020. The '21 team will return 21 of 22 starters from the Orange Bowl, add a top-15 recruiting class and be recognized as one of the nation's top teams heading into the fall.
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@TarHeelFootball), Instagram (@tarheelfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
2021 Preseason All-ACC Football Team
(147 total votes; Total votes in parentheses)
QB Sam Howell, North Carolina (118)
RB Zonovan Knight, NC State (96)
RB Mataeo Durant, Duke (49)
WR Justyn Ross, Clemson (110)
WR Zay Flowers, Boston College (101)
WR Jaquarii Roberson, Wake Forest (80)
TE James Mitchell, Virginia Tech (77)
AP Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (56)
OT Ikem Ekwonu, NC State (83)
OT Jordan McFadden, Clemson (53)
OG Zion Johnson, Boston College (82)
OG Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina (56)
C Alec Lindstrom, Boston College (77)
DE Myles Murphy, Clemson (108)
DE Amare Barno, Virginia Tech (63)
DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson (120)
DT Tyler Davis, Clemson (53)
LB Payton Wilson, NC State (99)
LB James Skalski, Clemson (95)
LB Nick Jackson, Virginia (37)
CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson (86)
CB Tony Grimes, North Carolina (55)
S Bubba Bolden, Miami (100)
S Nolan Turner, Clemson (85)
PK Nick Sciba, Wake Forest (69)
P Lou Hedley, Miami (84)
SP Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (60)
Preseason Player of the Year
1. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina, 114
2. D'Eriq King, QB, Miami, 11
3. Bryan Bresee, DE, Clemson, 8
4. D.J. Uiagalelei, QB, Clemson, 6
5. Phil Jurkovec, QB, Boston College, 3
6. Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College, 2
6. Jahmyr Gibbs, AP, Georgia Tech, 2
Howell is joined on the All-ACC team by offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu and defensive back Tony Grimes.
Howell enters his junior season as the overwhelming favorite to earn ACC Player of the Year honors after receiving 114 of 146 votes from the conference's media members.
The Indian Trail, N.C., product landed on the All-ACC second team in 2020 after leading the ACC with 30 touchdown passes and 3,586 passing yards. The Heisman Trophy candidate has racked up 68 total TD passes over his first two seasons, the most through a sophomore year in ACC history and are tied for the UNC program record.
Ezeudu was an All-ACC third team selection in 2020. The junior from Lawrenceville, Ga., started all 10 games he appeared in last season and earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors on Dec. 14.
Grimes came on strong at the end of his true freshman season by making four starts at defensive back and appeared in all 12 games on special teams in 2020. He amassed 14 tackles, four pass breakups, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. The Virginia Beach, Va., native had a season-high three stops, two PBU and a sack against No. 5 Texas A&M in the Orange Bowl.
On Monday, the Tar Heels were picked to win the ACC Coastal in a vote by media members covering the league. The Tar Heels total of 979 included 109 of the 147 first-place votes. Carolina also claimed the second-most votes to win the 2021 ACC Championship.
Carolina enters the 2021 season continuing a remarkable turnaround that has seen the Tar Heels go from two wins in 2018 to the Orange Bowl in 2020. The '21 team will return 21 of 22 starters from the Orange Bowl, add a top-15 recruiting class and be recognized as one of the nation's top teams heading into the fall.
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@TarHeelFootball), Instagram (@tarheelfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
2021 Preseason All-ACC Football Team
(147 total votes; Total votes in parentheses)
QB Sam Howell, North Carolina (118)
RB Zonovan Knight, NC State (96)
RB Mataeo Durant, Duke (49)
WR Justyn Ross, Clemson (110)
WR Zay Flowers, Boston College (101)
WR Jaquarii Roberson, Wake Forest (80)
TE James Mitchell, Virginia Tech (77)
AP Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (56)
OT Ikem Ekwonu, NC State (83)
OT Jordan McFadden, Clemson (53)
OG Zion Johnson, Boston College (82)
OG Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina (56)
C Alec Lindstrom, Boston College (77)
DE Myles Murphy, Clemson (108)
DE Amare Barno, Virginia Tech (63)
DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson (120)
DT Tyler Davis, Clemson (53)
LB Payton Wilson, NC State (99)
LB James Skalski, Clemson (95)
LB Nick Jackson, Virginia (37)
CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson (86)
CB Tony Grimes, North Carolina (55)
S Bubba Bolden, Miami (100)
S Nolan Turner, Clemson (85)
PK Nick Sciba, Wake Forest (69)
P Lou Hedley, Miami (84)
SP Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (60)
Preseason Player of the Year
1. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina, 114
2. D'Eriq King, QB, Miami, 11
3. Bryan Bresee, DE, Clemson, 8
4. D.J. Uiagalelei, QB, Clemson, 6
5. Phil Jurkovec, QB, Boston College, 3
6. Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College, 2
6. Jahmyr Gibbs, AP, Georgia Tech, 2
Players Mentioned
Offensive Line
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Defensive Back
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Quarterback
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Defensive Line
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