Amerson, Graham first-team All-ACC

NC State had a pair of players selected first-team All-ACC for the second consecutive season.

Senior wide out T.J. Graham was selected as a specialist, and sophomore corner David Amerson was the second-highest vote getter among defensive players.

Amerson tied an ACC record with 11 interceptions this year, matching the mark set by UNC corner Dre Bly set in 1996. Amerson returned on pick for a touchdown and leads the county in interceptions. He is one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award given to the country's best defensive back.

Graham led the ACC in punt return average with 12.1. He returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown against Liberty Sept. 3 in State's season opener. Graham also averaged 22.5 yards per kickoff return and became the ACC's all-time leader in kickoff return yards.

Two more players were selected second-team All-ACC. Linebacker Terrell Manning, a redshirt junior, barely missed first-team honors by just four points to UNC senior Zach Brown. Manning had 70 tackles, including 13 for loss and 5.5 sacks, two interceptions, five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles despite missing two full games with a knee injury.

Fifth-year senior tight end George Bryan was honored for the third straight year. The two-time first-team selection had a late-season surge and finished with 30 catches for 302 yards and four touchdowns. He is State's first three-time All-ACC honoree since Darrell Blackman was honored as a specialist 2005-07.

Fifth-year senior linebacker Audie Cole, redshirt junior safety Earl Wolff and junior safety Brandan Bishop were honorable mention All-ACC. Both Cole and Bishop were four points shy of earning second-team honors.

Cole had 98 tackles, including 9.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also tied Manning with a team-high four forced fumbles. Wolff led State with 99 tackles and added three interceptions, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles and two recoveries. Bishop had 77 tackles and was second on the squad with five picks. He also recovered three fumbles and forced one.

FIRST TEAM

Offense

QB - Tajh Boyd, Clemson (71)

RB - David Wilson, Virginia Tech (90)*; Giovani Bernard, North Carolina (66)

WR - Sammy Watkins, Clemson (86); Chris Givens, Wake Forest (69)

OT - Blake DeChristopher, Virginia Tech (86); Zebrie Sanders, Florida State (46)

OG - Austin Pasztor, Virginia (49); Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech (45)

C - Dalton Freeman, Clemson (44)

TE - Dwayne Allen, Clemson (78)

K - Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (75)

Spec. - T.J. Graham, NC State (45)

Defense

DE - Andre Branch, Clemson (79); Quinton Coples, North Carolina (64)

DT - Joe Vellano, Maryland (68); Matt Conrath, Virginia (55)

LB - Luke Kuechly, Boston College (90)*; Sean Spence, Miami (82); Zach Brown, North Carolina (48)

CB - David Amerson, NC State (86); Chase Minnifield, Virginia (47)

S - Matt Daniels, Duke (80); Josh Bush, Wake Forest (41)

P - Shawn Powell, Florida State (85)

SECOND TEAM

Offense

QB - Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech (49)

WR - Dwight Jones, North Carolina (58); Conner Vernon, Duke (34)

RB - Lamar Miller, Miami (62); Andre Ellington, Clemson (26)

OT - Oday Aboushi, Virginia (43); James Hurst, North Carolina (30)

OG - Jaymes Brooks, Virginia Tech (35); Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina (31); Joe Looney, Wake Forest (31)

C - Tyler Horn, Miami (32)

TE - George Bryan, NC State (29)

K - Chandler Catanzaro, Clemson (37)

Spec. - Sammy Watkins, Clemson (33)

Defense

DE - Brandon Jenkins, Florida State (51); James Gayle, Virginia Tech (25)

DT - Brandon Thompson, Clemson (43); Nikita Whitlock, Wake Forest (30)

LB - Terrell Manning, NC State (44); Julian Burnett, Georgia Tech (34); Steve Greer, Virginia (23)

CB - Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech (36); Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech (34)

S - Eddie Whitley, Virginia Tech (33); Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State (23)

P - Alex King, Duke (22)

Honorable Mention:

Merrill Noel, CB, Wake Forest (30)

Landon Walker, OT, Clemson (29)

Greg Reid, SPC., Florida State (27)

Cooper Helfet, TE, Duke (25)

T.J. Thorpe, SPC, North Carolina (22)

Anthony Mihota, C, Virginia (21)

Nigel Bradham, LB, Florida State (20)

Brandan Bishop, S, NC State (19)

Everett Dawkins, DT, Florida State (18)

Audie Cole, LB, NC State (19)

J.R. Collins, DE, Virginia Tech (17)

Rodney McLeod, S, Virginia (17)

Tydreke Powell, DT, North Carolina (17)

Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, Georgia Tech (16)

Perry Jones, RB, Virginia (16)

Antone Exum, S, Virginia Tech (15)

Dawson Zimmerman, P, Clemson (15)

Rod Sweeting, CB, Georgia Tech (13)

Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State (13)

Phillip Price, OT, Clemson (12)

Earl Wolff, S, NC State (12)

Demetrius Hartsfield, LB, Maryland (11)

Bruce Taylor, LB, Virginia Tech (11)

Cody Journell, K, Virginia Tech (10)

Greg Nosal, OG, Virginia Tech (10)