Amerson, Wolff named preseason All-ACC

NC State defensive backs David Amerson and Earl Wolff were both selected to the preseason All-ACC team, which was announced on Wednesday afternoon. The team was voted on by the media in attendance at this past weekend's ACC Kickoff.

Amerson was the third-leading vote getter, behind unanimous selection Sammy Watkins, a Clemson wide receiver who had 68 votes, and Miami punter Dalton Botts (65). Wolff tallied 30 votes, trailing fellow safety Lamarcus Joyner of Florida State, who was named on 45 ballots.

Amerson was an All-America first-team selection in 2011 by ESPN and Walter Camp, and also won the Jack Tatum Award, given annually to the nation's top defensive back, after he recorded an ACC record 13 interceptions. The 6-3, 194 pound cornerback from Greensboro, N.C., was also a finalist for the Thorpe Award and was named the College Football Performance Awards' Defensive Back of the Year last fall. In addition to the second-most single-season interceptions in FBS history, the true junior also racked up 59 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and returned two picks for touchdowns.

Wolff, a fifth-year safety, was also honored by the media after a phenomenal 2011 campaign. The Raeford, N.C., native tallied 113 tackles, which ranked second on the team, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, one recovered fumble and two pass breakups en route to honorable mention All-ACC laurels. He has been called, "the heart of the defense," by coach Tom O'Brien, and is the team's career leader in games played (tied for first with 38), tackles (255) and forced fumbles (7).

NC State quarterback Mike Glennon finished fourth among quarterbacks with six votes, while guard R.J. Mattes and center Camden Wentz both checked in at third among their position with eight and three votes, respectively.

The full preseason All-ACC team is below (vote totals in parenthesis):

Offense

QB: Tajh Boyd, Clemson (29)

RB: Giovani Bernard, North Carolina (60)

RB: Andre Ellington, Clemson (53)

WR: Sammy Watkins, Clemson (68)

WR: Conner Vernon, Duke (41)

OT: James Hurst, North Carolina (48)

OT: Oday Aboushi, Virginia (29)

OG: Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech (57)

OG: Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina (55)

C: Dalton Freeman, Clemson (53)

Defense

DE: Brandon Jenkins, Florida State (59)

DE: James Gayle, Virginia Tech (31)

DT: Joe Vellano, Maryland (58)

DT: Nikita Whitlock, Wake Forest (33)

LB: Kevin Reddick, North Carolina (49)

LB: Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech (42)

LB: Steve Greer, Virginia (32)

CB: David Amerson, NC State (63)

CB: Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech (25)

S: Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State (45)

S: Earl Wolff, NC State (30)

Specialists

K: Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (54)

P: Dalton Botts, Miami (65)

Spec: Greg Reid, Florida State (35)