ACC in the NFL 2010

• 2009 list  • 2008 list • 2007 list  • 2006 list

The NFL season begins on Thursday with 254 players from the ACC.  Miami remains the top pro producer with 43 former players, increasing its lead over Florida State (27) and, somewhat surprisingly, Maryland (27).

North Carolina (22) is tied for fifth and N.C. State (15) ranks 10th. The state of North Carolina boasts the bottom three teams in the league with Wake Forest (14) and Duke (3) in the bottom two spots.

Overall, the league's post-expansion total of NFL players peaked in 2008 with 271.
 

The list includes injured and suspended players but not players from the practice squad. Among the highlights from this year's list:

• N.C. State lost the most ground, dropping from its 2009 total by four players.

The Wolfpack had 20 players in 2006 and 2007 before dropping to 19 the past two years and 15 this year.

The addition of two draft picks, defensive end Willie Young and center Ted Larsen, was offset by the loss of six players from the 2009 list, notably receiver Torry Holt.

Larsen, a sixth-round pick of the New England Patriots in April, already has had a change of address. He was cut by the Patriots during camp and claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Virginia lost two spots. One of former Virginia coach Al Groh's biggest problems was not doing enough with the NFL talent he brought to campus.

In Groh's defense, he was stockpiling tight ends (four) and tackles (four) which keeps the edge protected but doesn't necessarily win football games. To that point, Groh only produced one NFL quarterback, Houston Texans fantasy football hero, Matt Schaub.

• Wake Forest's 2006 ACC title team will never get the credit it deserves outside of Winston-Salem.

There will always be an underdog, feel-good story element to that season, Wake's first ACC title since 1970, but the record should note that team had a ton of talent.

Clearly, Jim Grobe can coach but eight of the 14 Wake players currently in the NFL were on that 2006 roster (Cincinnati rookie Brandon Ghee did not play but was on the team).

Those eight current NFL players don't include two first-team All-ACC players from 2006 (K Sam Swank and S Josh Gattis) or the second-team All-ACC quarterback (Riley Skinner).

Just a point of comparison, Florida State's 2006 roster had seven future NFL players. If FSU had won the 2006 ACC title, no one would have batted an eye. But since Wake did (and beating FSU 30-0 in the process) it was a fluke and a "down" year for the ACC.

• Speaking of the Noles, Jimbo Fisher has his work cut out for him to get the program back up to Miami's level.

The Noles had an ACC-best 46 NFL players in 2006. That number has gone down every year dropping off to 27 this year.

The Noles have had only four players drafted in the past two years and only three are still on NFL rosters.

Apparently safety Myron Rolle, a Rhodes scholar, is too smart for the NFL. The seventh-round pick of the Tennessee Titans did not make the final cut.

Of course, before the NCAA came in with an eraser, the Noles went 7-6 in 2006 and 7-6 in 2009. The bottom line hasn't changed but the talent level from the previous run, the salad days of the 1990s until the 2000 BCS title game, certainly has.

• Duke, if nothing else, is consist. For the fifth straight year, Duke has three NFL players. The Blue Devils did exchange linebacker Ryan Fowler for quarterback Thad Lewis, though.

Lewis, an undrafted free agent, made the St. Louis Rams roster with fellow rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft.

Boston College
DT Ron Brace, New England
LB Ricky Brown, Oakland
DE Tim Bulman, Houston
T Gosder Cherilus, Detroit
x-T Marc Colombo, Dallas
LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, New Orleans
DT Antonio Garay, San Diego
x-QB Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle
x-DT Chris Hovan, St. Louis
DE Mathias Kiwanuka, N.Y. Giants
x-C Dan Koppen, New England
LB Mike McLaughlin, Baltimore
DT B.J. Raji, Green Bay
QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta
S Jamie Silva, Indianapolis
x-G Chris Snee, N.Y. Giants
C Matt Tennant, New Orleans
T Jeremy Trueblood, Tampa Bay
x-T Damien Woody, N.Y. Jets

Clemson
CB Crezdon Butler, Pittsburgh
S Chris Clemons, Miami
LB Kavell Conner, Indianapolis
RB James Davis, Cleveland
S Brian Dawkins, Denver
DE Nick Eason, Pittsburgh
WR Jacoby Ford, Oakland
S Mike Hamlin, Dallas
LB Leroy Hill, Seattle
TE Michael Palmer, Atlanta
DE Trevor Pryce, Baltimore
T Barry Richardson, Kansas City
DE Ricky Sapp, Philadelphia
DT Darell Scott, St. Louis
RB C.J. Spiller, Buffalo
WR Chansi Stuckey, Cleveland
T Anthony Waters, New Orleans
QB Charlie Whitehurst, Seattle

Duke
LB Patrick Bailey, Tennessee
QB Thad Lewis, St. Louis
LS Patrick Mannelly, Chicago

Florida State
T Alex Barron, Dallas
WR Anquan Boldin, Baltimore
DE Everette Brown, Carolina
DT Brodrick Bunkley, Philadelphia
CB Antonio Cromartie, N.Y. Jets
DE Chauncey Davis, Atlanta
DT Darnell Docket, Arizona
DE Andre Fluellen, Detroit
K Graham Gano, Washington
DT Letroy Guion, Minnesota
LB Geno Hayes, Tampa Bay
T Mario Henderson, Oakland
G Montrae Holland, Dallas
S Chris Hope, Tennessee
K Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland
DE Travis Johnson, San Diego
FB Greg Jones, Jacksonville
CB Bryant McFadden, Pittsburgh
CB Patrick Robinson, New Orleans
LS Garrison Sanborn, Buffalo
LB Ernie Sims, Philadelphia
RB Antone Smith, Atlanta
LB Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh
RB Leon Washington, Seattle
LB Dekoda Watson, Tampa Bay
T Ray Willis, Seattle
DE Kamerion Wimbley, Oakland

Georgia Tech
LB Keith Brooking, Dallas
S Morgan Burnett, Green Bay
S James Butler, St. Louis
RB Tashard Choice, Dallas
FB Mike Cox, Kansas City
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Pittsburgh
LS Andrew Economos, Tampa Bay
LB Keyaron Fox, Pittsburgh
LB Gary Guyton, New England
DT Anthony Hargrove, New Orleans
TE Will Heller, Detroit
T Cord Howard, Buffalo
WR Calvin Johnson, Detroit
LB Michael Johnson, Cincinnati
S Dawan Landry, Baltimore
DE Derrick Morgan, Tennessee
DT Darryl Richard, New England
S Chris Reid, New Orleans
LB Daryl Smith, Jacksonville
WR Demaryius Thomas, Denver
DT Vance Walker, Atlanta
LB Philip Wheeler, Indianapolis
LB Gerris Wilkinson, N.Y. Giants

Maryland
RB Lance Ball, Denver
CB Kevin Barnes, Washington
LB Eric Barton, Cleveland
G Bruce Campbell, Oakland
CB Nolan Carroll, Miami
LS Jon Condo, Oakland
G Phil Costa, Dallas
TE Vernon Davis, San Francisco
TE Jeff Dugan, Minnesota
LB Moise Fokou, Philadelphia
CB Domonique Foxworth, Baltimore
T Jared Gaither, Baltimore
TE Dan Gronkowski, Denver
TE Joey Haynos, Miami
T Stephon Heyer, Washington
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oakland
LB E.J. Henderson, Minnesota
LB Erin Henderson, Minnesota
QB Shaun Hill, Detroit
LB D'Qwell Jackson, Cleveland
DT Kris Jenkins, N.Y. Jets
LB Shawne Merriman, San Diego
P Adam Podlesh, Jacksonville
DE Randy Starks, Miami
G Jaimie Thomas, Indianapolis
S Madieu Williams, Minnesota
CB Josh Wilson, Baltimore

Miami
LB Spencer Adkins, Atlanta
LB Jon Beason, Carolina
x-CB Phillip Buchanon, Washington
T Rashad Butler, Houston
DT Kareem Brown, Tennessee
DE Calais Campbell, Arizona
x-T Vernon Carey, Miami
DT Antonio Dixon, Philadelphia
T Jason Fox, Detroit
LB Tavares Gooden, Baltimore
RB Frank Gore, San Francisco
TE Jimmy Graham, New Orleans
WR Devin Hester, Chicago
CB Kelly Jennings, Seattle
x-WR Andre Johnson, Houston
CB Bruce Johnson, N.Y. Giants
RB Tevaris Johnson, Kansas City
x-LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore
x-RB Willis McGahee, Baltimore
LB Rocky McIntosh, Washington
x-T Bryant McKinnie, Minnesota
S Brandon Meriweather, New England
x-WR Santana Moss, Washington
WR Sinorice Moss, N.Y. Giants
C Chris Myers, Houston
TE Greg Olsen, Chicago
WR Roscoe Parrish, Buffalo
S Kenny Phillips, N.Y. Giants
S Randy Phillips, Detroit
x-RB Clinton Portis, Washington
x-S Ed Reed, Baltimore
S Antrel Rolle, N.Y. Giants
CB Glenn Sharpe, Indianapolis
LB Darryl Sharpton, Houston
CB Sam Shields, Green Bay
x-TE Jeremy Shockey, New Orleans
x-LB Jonathan Vilma, New Orleans
x-WR Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis
x-DT Vince Wilfork, New England
x-LB D.J. Williams, Denver
LB Leon Williams, Dallas
x-TE Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay
T Eric Winston, Houston

UNC
DT Kentwan Balmer, Seattle
K Connor Barth, Tampa Bay
C Jason Brown, St. Louis
TE Alge Crumpler, New England
FB Madison Hedgecock, N.Y. Giants
CB Jordan Hemby, Indianapolis
DE Vonnie Holliday, Washington
WR Hakeem Nicks, N.Y. Giants
DE Julius Peppers, Chicago
TE Richard Quinn, Denver
K Jeff Reed, Pittsburgh
T Garrett Reynolds, Atlanta
C Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis
S Gerald Sensabaugh, Dallas
DT Ryan Sims, Tampa Bay
WR Brandon Tate, New England
DE Hilee Taylor, Carolina
DT Cam Thomas, San Diego
LB David Thornton, Tennessee
LS Greg Warren, Pittsburgh
DT E.J. Wilson, Seattle
WR Wallace Wright, Carolina

N.C. State
RB Andre Brown, Denver
WR Jerricho Cotchery, N.Y. Jets
G Leroy Harris, Tennessee
TE Anthony Hill, Houston
S Marcus Hudson, Carolina
C Ted Larsen, Tampa Bay
LB Manny Lawson, San Francisco
T Sean Locklear, Seattle
DT John McCargo, Buffalo
QB Philip Rivers, San Diego
LB Stephen Tulloch, Tennessee
CB Brian Williams, Atlanta
DE Mario Williams, Houston
S Adrian Wilson, Arizona
DE Willie Young, Detroit

Virginia
T Branden Albert, Kansas City
CB Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay
LB Ahmad Brooks, San Francisco
DT Chris Canty, N.Y. Giants
CB Chris Cook, Minnesota
LB Isaiah Ekejiuba, Detroit
LB James Farrior, Pittsburgh
T D'Brickashaw Ferguson, N.Y. Jets
DE Chris Long, St. Louis
TE Heath Miller, Pittsburgh
T Eugene Monroe, Jacksonville
WR Kevin Ogletree, Dallas
RB Cedric Peerman, Cincinnati
TE John Phillips, Dallas
T John St. Clair, Cleveland
RB Thomas Jones, Kansas City
TE Tom Santi, Indianapolis
QB Matt Schaub, Houston
LB Clint Sintim, N.Y. Giants
RB Jason Snelling, Atlanta
TE Jonathan Stupar, Buffalo

Virginia Tech
LB Xavier Adibi, Houston
LB James Anderson, Carolina
T Duane Brown, Houston
S Kam Chancellor, Seattle
DE Chris Ellis, Buffalo
x-WR Andre Davis, Houston
CB Brandon Flowers, Kansas City
S Vincent Fuller, Tennessee
S Cody Grimm, Tampa Bay
x-C Jake Grove, Miami
x-CB DeAngelo Hall, Washington
TE Jeff King, Carolina
G Will Montgomery, Washington
WR Josh Morgan, San Francisco
RB Cedric Peerman, Cincinnati
x-S Pierson Prioleau, New Orleans
WR Eddie Royal, Denver
x-S Nick Sorensen, Cleveland
DE Darryl Tapp, Philadelphia
x-QB Michael Vick, Philadelphia
T Ed Wang, Buffalo
LB Jason Worilds, Pittsburgh

Wake Forest
LB Stanley Arnoux, New Orleans
T Tyson Clabo, Atlanta
TE Desmond Clark, Chicago
LB Aaron Curry, Seattle
G Chris DeGeare, Minnesota
S Brandon Ghee, Cincinnati
C Steve Justice, Carolina
FB Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta
LB Calvin Pace, N.Y. Jets
DT Fred Robbins, St. Louis
CB Alphonso Smith, Detroit
LB Jyles Tucker, San Diego
T Steve Vallos, Cleveland
LS Joe Zelenka, Atlanta

Note: x-did not play in the ACC; Miami and Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2004 and Boston College in 2005.