College Football Rankings: ESPN ranks the offseason of every ACC team

With the transfer portal officially closed and Spring practice firmly in the rearview window, college football is in offseason mode as coaches and players alike take some time to theirselves before preseason camp kicks off in August.

Of course, there is no real offseason for fans, and ESPN took the opportunity to look back and evaluate how each Power Four conference team has performed since the end of last season. That included ranking each team’s offseason overhaul based on its retention of key players, staff retention and upgrades, and new roster additions by way of the transfer portal and recruiting.

With that in mind, ESPN reporter Bill Connelly provided a detailed glance at how each ACC program fared this offseason, which could provide necessary insight into how teams may perform during the upcoming 2025 college football season.

Check out ESPN’s offseason rankings for ACC teams below:

1. Clemson Tigers

Key additions: DE Will Heldt, WR Tristan Smith, LB Jeremiah Alexander
Key departures: RB Phil Mafah, LB Barrett Carter, DB R.J. Mickens

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney‘s most important addition wasn’t a player but a coach, poaching former Penn State defensive coordiantor Tom Allen. Swinney also reversed course and finally dipped into the transfer portal to give Allen an elite pass rusher with Heldt (Purdue), who joins an already-loaded defensive front seven. That’s in addition to having the nation’s most returning production led by three-year starting QB Cade Klubnik and ESPN ranked Clemson as its No. 5 overall offseason.

2. Miami Hurricanes

Key additions: QB Carson Beck, DB Xavier Lucas, DT David Blay
Key departures: QB Cam Ward, WR Xavier Restrepo, LB Francisco Mauigoa

The Hurricanes once again relied on the NCAA transfer portal to reload offensively, locking up the services of Beck, a two-year starter at UGA, to replace Ward, the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick. While Beck’s recovery from a season-ending UCL injury will be a talking point early in the 2025 season, he’ll be protected behind a stacked Miami offensive line. ‘Canes coach Mario Cristobal also reloaded at key skill positions on both sides of the ball, enough for ESPN to give them the No. 8 overall offseason.

3. Duke Blue Devils

Key additions: QB Darian Mensah, DT Josiah Green, DB Caleb Weaver
Key departures: G Caleb Krings, DT Kendy Charles, WR Jordan Moore

The Blue Devils were among the ACC’s biggest surprises in Manny Diaz‘s first season at the helm, winning nine games a year ago, and seemingly got even better at quarterback with the addition of Mensah (Tulane), who has three seasons of eligibility remaining. Still, Duke has plenty of question marks on both sides of the ball after multiple defections at key skill positions that could become a problem in 2025.

4. Florida State Seminoles

Key additions: QB Tommy Castellanos, WR Duce Robinson, CB Jeremiah Wilson
Key departures: CB Azareye’h Thomas, DT Joshua Farmer, WR Ja’Khi Douglas

Following a disasterous two-win 2024 season, FSU coach Mike Norvell overhauled his staff and added former Auburn, Arkansas State and UCF head coach Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and former Nebraska DC Tony White. Norvell also relied on the portal for key transfers like Castellanos (Boston College), 6-foot-6 Robinson (USC) and dynamic playmaker Squirrel White (Tennessee).

5. Virginia Cavaliers

Key additions: QB Chandler Morris, WR Jahmal Edrine, S Devin Neal
Key departures: S Jonas Sanker, WR Malachi Fields, C Brian Stevens

Connelly rounds out his Top 5 with the Cavaliers, which saw a slight two-win improvement in Year 3 under coach Tony Elliott but still fell short of bowl eligibility. Elliott turned to the portal to rebuild offensively with the additions of Morris (North Texas) and Edrine (Purdue) as well as defensively with Neal (Louisville) and LB Mitchell Melton (Ohio State). Still, relying so heavily on transfers doesn’t bode well entering Year 4.

6. Louisville Cardinals

Key additions: QB Miller Moss, LB Clev Lubin, WR TreyShun Hurry
Key departures: QB Tyler Shough, DE Ashton Gillotte, CB Quincy Riley

Louisville coach Jeff Brohm filled key holes in the transfer portal with the additions of Moss (USC), Hurry (San Jose State) and 6-foot-4 WR Dacari Collins (NC State) while also retaining top playmakers like RBs Isaac Brown and Duke Watson. The Cardinals also completely overhauled its offensive line, which could become a concern. Brohm did manage to fill several key holes on defense out of the portal.

7. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Key additions: WR Eric Rivers, OT Malachi Carney, DL Akelo Stone
Key departures: WR Eric Singleton Jr., TE Jackson Hawes, DT Zeek Biggers

Brent Key enters Year 3 at the helm of his alma mater with a new defensive coordinator in former Texas assistant Blake Gideon, as well as a mostly-intact offense led by veteran QB Haynes King, RB Jamal Haynes and WR Malik Rutherford. Still, losing several key pieces in the trenches on both sides of the ball will raise some concerns in what is a pivotal season for Key.

8. SMU Mustangs

Key additions: DE Jahkai Lang, OG Addison Nichols, DT Jeffrey M’Ba
Key departures: RB Brashard Smith, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, DE Elijah Roberts

After surprising the entire college football world with an undefeated regular-season run through the ACC and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024, SMU coach Rhett Lashlee managed to keep much of his roster intact, which is a big offseason win in Dallas. That said, losing Smith and Roberts as part of a defensive overhaul could be concerning, as is a rebuilt offensive line that lost two starters.

9. Pittsburgh Panthers

Key additions: OT Kendall Stanley, WR Cataurus Hicks, DE Blaine Spires
Key departures: OL Branson Taylor, TE Gavin Bartholomew, WR Konata Mumpfield

Pitt’s rollercoaster 2024 season rolled over into the offseason with multiple defensive departures both to the NFL and the transfer portal, with only brining in Spires (Utah State) via the portal. That said, retaining QB Eli Holstein and RB Desmon Reid was vital, as was strengthening its offensive line with transfers Stanley (Charlotte), OT Jeff Persi (Michigan) and OG Keith Gouveia (Richmond).

10. Virginia Tech Hokies

Key additions: OL Tomas Rimac, RB Terion Stewart, DE James Djonkam
Key departures: RB Bhayshul Tuten, DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, CB Mansoor Delane

Hokies head coach Brent Pry enters a pivotal Year 4 at the helm having replaced both coordinators, adding former Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery as OC. Those changes coupled with a roster-wide defection of more than two dozen transfers off last season’s roster and this year’s Virginia Tech is going to look a lot different. QB Kyron Drones returns but will have an almost-entirely new group around him.

11. NC State Wolfpack

Key additions: S Jeremiah Johnson, OT Teague Andersen, OLB Joseph Adedire
Key departures: OT Anthony Belton, WR Kevin Concepcion, S Bishop Fitzgerald

Longtime NC State coach Dave Doeren also overhauled his staff with two new coordinators and also lost quite a bit to the transfer portal, including leading receiver Concepcion (Texas A&M) and several top defenders. The Wolfpack offense returns multiple key playmakers in QB CJ Bailey, leading RB Hollywood Smothers and WRs Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes, but the defensive turnover remains a concern.

12. North Carolina Tar Heels

Key additions: QB Gio Lopez, DE Pryce Yates, OL Daniel King
Key departures: RB Omarion Hampton, DE Beau Atkinson, OT Howard Sampson

The arrival of Bill Belichick to the collegiate coaching ranks remains the biggest offseason storyline in the ACC, especially in light of ongoing drama surrounding his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson. Still, the addition of the six-time Super Bowl-wining coach was just one part of a total offseason overhaul in Chapel Hill that also included a new QB1 in Lopez (South Alabama) and RB Benjamin Hall (Michigan).

13. Boston College Eagles

Key additions: G Tommy Matheson, OT Amir Johnson, QB Dylan Lonergan
Key departures: DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, OT Ozzy Trapilo, C Drew Kendall

BC head coach Bill O’Brien enters Year 2 successfully retaining several key playmakers on both sides of the ball, including WR Lewis Bond and prized defenders in Daveon Crouch, Carter Davis and KP Price. But vital losses in the trenches could prove detrimental for new starting QB Grayson James, who replaces transfer Castellanos (Florida State). New offensive line additions will be important to 2025 success.

14. Syracuse Orange

Key additions: QB Steve Angeli, QB Rickie Collins, OT Kam Pringle
Key departures: QB Kyle McCord, RB LeQuint Allen, WR Trebor Pena

Second-year Orange coach Fran Brown replaced McCord with a pair of talented transfers in Angeli and Collins, who will battle it out to be QB1 in the Fall. Still, portal defections of Pena (Penn State), C J’Onre Reed (USC) and DT Maraad Watson (Texas) will sting after an impressive 10-3 season in 2024. Given those losses, Syracuse’s 2025 season will rest on its new QB1 matching McCord’s explosive passing effort.

15. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Key additions: OT Fa’alili Fa’amoe, DE Gabe Kirschke, C Devin Kylany
Key departures: C Luke Petitbon, CB Jamare Glasker, WR Horatio Fields

The Demon Deacons enter the Jake Dickert era after the former Washington State coach completely overhauled Wake Forest’s staff and roster this offseason. The coaching transition led to massive portal movement, especially in the trenches. Minus returning RB Demond Claiborne, the Deacons will debut an entirely new offense in 2025 after adding QBs Robby Ashford and Deshawn Purdie out of the portal.

16. California Golden Bears

Key additions: QB Devin Brown, DE TJ Bush Jr., LB Harrison Taggart
Key departures: QB Fernando Mendoza, RB Jaydn Ott, LB Teddye Buchanan

Cal coach Justin Wilcox replaced both coordinators this offseason, adding former Auburn and Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin at OC. Harsin will have his hands full with a mostly brand new offense led by Brown (Ohio State) at QB following defections of Mendoza (Indiana), Ott (Oklahoma), RB Javian Thomas (UCLA) and WR Nyziah Hunter (Nebraska). The Bears defense added some key pieces out of the portal.

17. Stanford Cardinal

Key additions: WR C.J. Williams, OT Niki Prongos, LB Hunter Barth
Key departures: WR Elic Ayomanor, OLB David Bailey, WR Emmett Mosley V

Stanford owns the ACC’s worst offseason due in large part to head coach Troy Taylor‘s shocking firing in late March, with new Cardinal GM Andrew Luck bringing in former Colts coach Frank Reich to right the ship. Still, the late coaching change resulted in even more roster turnover giving Reich quite the uphill task in 2025.