ACC post-spring intel: Elite QB's stock rising, breakout players, more buzz from across the league

Spring practice is over across the country, and teams are in full recruiting mode as the summer approaches. That makes it a perfect time to survey contacts across the country for intel and updates from spring practice.

Over the next few weeks, CBS Sports will be going conference-by-conference around the Power Four with the latest post-spring intel. After hitting on the SEC and Big Ten, we're on to the ACC

Check out our previous entries in the series here: SEC | Big Ten

Miami Hurricanes

Not only is Darian Mensah the third straight high-profile transfer quarterback addition for Miami, but there's also a real chance he ends up as the third Hurricanes QB in three years to be selected early in the NFL Draft.

In fact, while early 2027 media mock drafts include a number of other big-name quarterbacks, NFL front office officials view Mensah as a legit first-round possibility as well.

"Mensah is a guy that could put together a really good year and be a definite first-round pick," an NFL player personnel director told CBS Sports. "That wouldn't surprise me at all. He was impressive (watching his tape)."

Mensah started his career at Tulane, spent last season at Duke and transferred to Miami earlier this offseason. As a redshirt sophomore at Duke last year, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Mensah ranked second nationally with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdown passes while also finishing with just six interceptions.

"He's got all the talent you need," an NFL college scouting director told CBS Sports. "Strong, athletic and he can rip it. Just want to see him play on time and not hold the ball and just like take sacks."

Another interesting element of Miami's offense will be how the team protects Mensah. The Hurricanes reached the national title game last year in large part because of the strength of their offensive line. But Miami, which is loaded at QB and the skill positions on offense, is replacing every starter from that unit.

Some of the new additions are plug-and-play starters with years of experience from the portal. But there will be youth on Miami's offensive line, and after spring practice, it's still a question of how that group will come together.

Miami feels like it can run the ball well. How the unit comes together from a pass-blocking perspective will determine the Hurricanes' offensive ceiling.

"We've got to emerge offensive line-wise," a source said. "We're talented, just unproven."

Florida State Seminoles

While Florida State's Ashton Daniels was far from the most high-profile quarterback addition of the offseason (he ranked as 247Sports' No. 29 QB this portal cycle), there is confidence in Tallahassee that the fifth-year senior is going to ultimately outperform external expectations.

Daniels, who was a starter at Stanford in 2023 and '24, played at Auburn last season and made three straight starts to replace former five-star Jackson Arnold. In the final two starts, Daniels racked up 442 yards (353 passing and 89 rushing) along with four touchdowns in a 45-38 overtime loss to No. 16 Vanderbilt and then had 259 passing yards as well as 108 rushing yards during a 27-20 loss to No. 10 Alabama.

"I think he's going to play a lot better than people think he will," a source said. "He's really smart. He really has a workman attitude to everything. He's not prima-donnish. Everything he's gone through in his career, you can tell it keeps him humble and keeps him focused on the right things. I think he can feel the confidence that people in the program have in him. And he's also got enough playmakers around him that I think his talent will show up."

Pittsburgh Panthers

Once Pitt shifted to Mason Heintschel at quarterback last October, the Panthers -- who were 2-2 at the time -- recorded five straight wins and finished the regular season with an 8-4 record.

Now, after some notable accomplishments as a true freshman -- like becoming the first ACC freshman in 30 years to post 400 passing yards and three touchdowns in a single game -- Pitt sources have big Year 2 expectations for the Class of 2025 three-star recruit.

"He's gone to another level," a source said.

In nine starts last season, Heintschel tallied 2,354 passing yards, 16 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. He accumulated 304 passing yards or more in four of his first five starts and was selected as a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

Syracuse Orange

Syracuse made one of the biggest defensive coordinator splashes of the offseason, landing long-time Toledo DC Vince Kehres. The Orange had one of the worst defenses in the FBS last season at 129th nationally in yards allowed per play. Kehres, for his part, had a top 20 defense at Toledo each of the last five seasons.

With Kehres overhauling the scheme and an influx of talent via the portal (along with five returning starters), there's optimism that Syracuse's defense will be much improved in 2026.

"The defense looks really good," a source said. "We started meshing as a unit and everything was clicking. It should be a very good unit."

Duke Blue Devils

The Blue Devils were put in an unenviable position with their quarterback room following the sudden departure of Darian Mensah to the transfer portal on the day of its closing. There weren't many options available to Duke. But the Blue Devils did land an experienced passer in San Jose State's Walker Eget, who threw for 3,051 yards last season. Eget wasn't cleared by the NCAA for a sixth season until February, and he wasn't 100% healthy during spring practice, per a source, after he suffered a leg injury in November.

Eget did take some limited reps, however, and was around the team. He's in a battle with redshirt freshman Dan Mahan for the starting job. Duke is optimistic about Mahan's future but Eget certainly has the experience edge.

Lesser-known players poised for breakout seasons

Amare Adams, DL, Clemson: One of the highest-rated defensive line recruits in Clemson history, Adams had a quiet start to his career with just five tackles as a true freshman. While he was limited by an injury for much of spring practice, he'll be counted on far more in 2026 with those like Peter Woods moving on to the NFL.

Christian Bentancur, TE, Clemson: Although he made just two starts last year, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Bentancur did emerge as a contributor with 20 catches, 215 yards and three touchdowns. Bentancur is now expected to take another step forward this season. As a recruit, he ranked as the fourth-best tight end and 90th-best overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class.

Armondo Blount, DL, Miami: Miami lost three of its four starters from last year's defensive front. Blount, a Class of 2024 top 40 overall recruit, is among those that the Hurricanes' staff expects to help with replacing some of these key contributors from last season. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Blount has taken another step forward this offseason after tallying 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season.

"He's a f---ing savage," a source said. "Violence, twitch, explosive. Limitless gas tank. Can play the end on first and second down and knock back o-linemen and then go inside and win pass rush on third down."

T.J. Capers, LB, Louisville: A part-time starter for Louisville last season at linebacker, Capers finished the year with 46 tackles, three tackles for loss and a game-sealing interception during the team's upset win over Miami. Capers, one of Louisville's top-rated signees in the 2025 class, is now set for an even bigger role in 2026.

"He'll be one of the top linebackers in the ACC," a source said.

Gideon Davidson, RB, Clemson: Davidson drew a lot of hype this time last year as a top recruit in an inexperienced Clemson backfield. He backed that up to a degree with a 60-carry, 260-yard season. But with Adam Randall's graduation, Davidson is expected to shoulder a much larger load in 2026 with his spring performance seemingly locking in a starting role.

Evan Dickens, RB, Boston College: If you followed Conference USA football last year, Dickens is anything but a secret as he finished last season at Liberty with 1,339 yards and 16 touchdowns. Those around Boston College feel he's going to carry that success into the ACC.

"He's going to be a dude," one source said.

JJ Dunnigan, DB, Miami: Miami returns a lot of experience in its secondary, including its top four cornerbacks from last season. But Dunnigan has a chance to emerge as a contributor in Year 1 at nickel. He had a strong debut spring, and the top 100 recruit has impressed people around the program.

"Work ethic, maturity, the mental aspects of his game are high level," a source said.

Brayden Jacobs, OL, Clemson: A top-60 recruit in the 2025 class and the son of former NFL running back Brandon Jacobs, the younger Jacobs is an emerging offensive lineman for the Tigers. Jacobs found his way into the starting lineup for Clemson late last season, finishing the year with four starts and 362 snaps. A freak foot injury ended Jacobs' season a bit early. But the 6-foot-7, 355-pound guard is expected to be a key figure for a new-look Tigers o-line.

Chris Jones, LB, Florida State: After leading the Sun Belt with 135 tackles last season at Southern Miss, Florida State added the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Jones to be a plug-and-play starter. Coming out of spring practice, that's the expectation internally among FSU sources, who expect him to be a high-level producer for the Seminoles.

"I could see him having a big year," a source said. "He's a really good player."

Ousmane Kromah, RB, Florida State: The headliner from Florida State's 2025 class, Kromah had a strong true freshman season with 408 yards on 5.7 yards per carry. The Seminoles did make a big transfer swing at running back by adding Texas' Tre Wisner, but Kromah had a very strong spring and looks to be in a strong position to start even with the addition of Wisner.

"He could have a big year," a source said. "He's grown a lot just from the mental side of the game. You could always see the physical skills with him, but last year, he didn't arrive until the summer and didn't go through spring ball and it was just a lot on him mentally trying to understand stuff like protections. Now, having gone through a season and this offseason, you can see him a lot more comfortable with that to where his game, it shows up more and a lot more consistently."

Censere Lee, WR, Pitt: Lee, who has played under Pitt OC Kade Bell at both Western Carolina and Pitt, redshirted last season due to injury but is poised to emerge as one of the Panthers' top offensive playmakers this season. Lee, who had 19 catches for Pitt in 2024, has moved to the slot and the Panthers' staff likes what they've seen from him in that spot.

"He's so fast," a source said.

Pitt sources also expect fellow wide receiver Cataurus Hicks to take another step forward this season after recording 24 catches, 422 yards and four touchdowns last year.

"He's gone to another level," a source said.

Marquise Lightfoot, EDGE, Miami: One of several Miami defensive linemen on this list, Lightfoot is primed for a much larger role in 2026 with the departure of Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor. Lightfoot, a former top 35 recruit, contributed as a sophomore with 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also recorded seven pressures in just 67 snaps during the College Football Playoff. Expect a jump with his production in 2026.

"Lightfoot is lightning quick off the edge (and) more powerful than you realize," a source said. "He has gained weight this offseason, and has elite third-down value as a pass rusher. You saw glimpses of what he can do in the national championship game."

Kingston Lopa, DB, Cal: One of four Ducks to follow Tosh Lupoi from Oregon to Cal, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Lopa is a massive safety who's set to be a difference-maker in Berkeley. The former four-star recruit played 169 snaps for Oregon last year and posted 12 tackles.

"Kingston Lopa is a dude, dude," a source said.

John Montague, WR, Boston College: Montague's first full season as a wide receiver never really had a chance to get going in 2025 given the redshirt freshman tore his ACL in fall camp. But now fully healthy and entering his third season as a wide receiver -- he converted from quarterback in the fall of 2024 -- there's a lot of hype surrounding Montague's role in the offense.

"Has a chance to be very special," a source said. "Had a good spring coming off his knee injury."

Luke Reynolds, TE, Virginia Tech : A prized recruit for James Franklin and Penn State two cycles ago, Reynolds followed the Penn State staff to Virginia Tech. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound former five-star had a solid sophomore campaign for Penn State a year ago with 26 catches for 257 yards and is now set to be a major factor for Franklin in his first season with the Hokies. Based on his 2025 Penn State tape, NFL scouts already view Reynolds as a possibility to go in the early rounds of next year's NFL draft.

"With the amount of usage he's about to get, he has All-American upside," a source said.

Zach Rowell, DL, Stanford: A member of Stanford's d-line rotation the last three seasons, Rowell is expected to shoulder a much larger role in 2026. The Cardinal lost several starters on the defensive line, and there's optimism in Palo Alto that the 6-foot-3, 285-pound d-lineman is ready to excel.

"Competitive and a high motor player," a source said. "Good get off and block recognition. Has a good feel for edges."

Justin Scott, DL, Miami: Scott emerged as a starter in the second half of the 2025 season, and he continued his trajectory of growth this offseason. The former five-star recruit is expected to be a standout on the interior for the Hurricanes.

"Scott brings leadership, snaps, and athleticism to the interior (d-line)," a source said. "He is powerful, has good lateral ability for a defensive tackle and can be disruptive across the line of scrimmage. Pairing him with Ahmad Moten is a dangerous combo."

Jaleel Skinner, TE, Louisville: Skinner never lacked potential. He was a top 100 recruit in the 2022 class and is a freaky athlete with an 80-inch-plus wingspan. But it took a while for him to break out. It finally started to happen last year when he caught 21 passes for 204 yards. Now, heading into his senior season, Louisville expects Skinner to take another step forward.

"He will have a big year," a source said.

Makilan Thomas, OL, Virginia: Thomas was on the verge of being Virginia's starting right tackle last year before a fall camp injury that caused him to miss the whole season. Now, the former Arkansas State transfer is back and set to be one of the Cavaliers' best offensive players. Despite missing last season, his tape at Arkansas State, where he was a three-year starter, was strong enough that at least some NFL scouts view him as a mid-Day 3 draft prospect entering the season.

Carter Vargas, RB, Cal: Vargas' numbers at UC Davis won't wow anyone with 445 yards and five touchdowns. But he did that in only eight games as a sophomore, with injuries limiting him for much of the season. With the Golden Bears replacing their top three backs from last season, Vargas has a chance to be a big-play threat.

"Baller," a source said. "He's elusive as s***."

Aakil Washington, LB, SMU: Washington isn't a new name on SMU's roster, but this is the first year he'll be able to make an impact after missing the 2025 season with an injury. The Mustangs were bullish on Washington's potential impact when they added him from South Alabama two seasons ago. Now healthy, he's expected to play a big role on defense as a redshirt senior.

Jaquez White, CB, Virginia Tech: The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Georgia native finished the 2025 season at Troy with 67 tackles, three interceptions and 11 passes defended. He also held opposing receivers to a 55.4% catch rate. Multiple sources brought up White as one of the standouts this spring for the Hokies. Some NFL scouts already view him as a mid-Day 3 NFL draft prospect, too.