Let the countdown begin.
We're down to the top 10 players in the ACC in 2011, and from here on out we'll continue to go one-a-day. I know, I know, the suspense is killing you. Who's No. 1? Stay tuned.
No. 10. Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina
2011 stats: He led the team with 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns on 239 carries. He was third in the ACC with 96.4 rushing yards per game and he was tied for first in the league with 6.5 points per game. He also had 45 catches for 362 yards and a touchdown, and was fifth in the ACC in all-purpose yards with 124.2 per game. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry.
Previous ranking: Not ranked.
Making the case for Bernard: He was the leading freshman rusher in the nation. His total of 1,253 rushing yards was the third best by a freshman in ACC history. He was a first-team all-conference selection, and he was a first-team freshman All-American of the Football Writers Association of America. He also earned the ACC's Brian Piccolo Award, which is given to the league's "most courageous" player. Bernard tore his ACL and missed the entire 2010 season only to come back last season and assert himself as one of the country's rising stars at running back. He became the first Tar Heel football player since 1984 to record five consecutive games with 100 or more rushing yards and currently has seven total.
No. 11 Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech
No. 12 Blake DeChristopher, OT, Virginia Tech
No. 13 Shawn Powell, P, Florida State
No. 14 Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina
No. 15 Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
No. 16 Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
No. 17 Sean Spence, LB, Miami
No. 18 Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State
No. 19 Joe Vellano, DT, Maryland
No. 20 Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
No. 21 Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
No. 22 Terrell Manning, LB, NC State
No. 23 Matt Conrath, DT, Virginia
No. 24 Omoregie Uzzi, RG, Georgia Tech
No. 25 Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State
