NC State TE Justin Joly named preseason first-team All-ACC

NC State senior tight end Justin Joly was named to the media preseason first-team All-ACC squad Thursday.

The 6-foot-3, 251-pounder, who transferred in last year from Connecticut, caught 43 passes for a team-high 661 yards and four touchdowns last year at NC State.

Joly caught a season-high five catches in his first game against Western Carolina, tallying 75 yards in the 38-21 win Aug. 29, 2024. He also had four catches for 95 yards, including a 31-yard catch in the 24-23 victory at California on Oct. 19. Joly caught at least four passes in six different games.

Joly broke out in 2023 with the Huskies, catching 56 passes for 578 yards and two scores before entering the NCAA transfer portal. He caught seven passes for 96 yards and one touchdown in a 38-31 win over Rice on Oct. 7, 2023, and added eight catches for 89 yards in a 59-3 win at Tennessee on Nov. 4.

Freshman quarterback C.J. Bailey received two votes for the preseason ACC Player of the Year. he went 196-of-302 passing for 2,413 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions after getting rushed into the lineup to replace the injured Grayson McCall. He also added 99 carries for 279 yards and five touchdowns.

Bailey threw for a career-high 329 yards, two scores and one interception in a 24-17 loss vs. Syracuse on Oct. 12. He came back to toss for 306 yards and two scores the next game at California.

Clemson senior quarterback Cade Klubnik was named the league Player of the Year. He went 308-of-486 passing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions for the 10-4 Tigers last year, who won the ACC title. He also ran 119 times for 463 yards and seven scores.

NEW: 2025 College Football Preseason Media All-ACC 1st Team‼️

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2025 All-ACC Preseason Football Team

Offense
QB: Cade Klubnik, Clemson (148)
RB: Isaac Brown, Louisville (99)
RB: Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech (85)
WR: Antonio Williams, Clemson (143)
WR: Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (66)
WR: Chris Bell, Louisville (51)
TE: Justin Joly, NC State (92)
AP: Desmond Reid, Pitt (73)
OT: Francis Mauigoa, Miami (99)
OT: Blake Miller, Clemson (99)
OG: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech (93)
OG: Walker Parks, Clemson (51)
C: Ryan Linthicum, Clemson (44)
•••
Defense 
DE: T.J. Parker, Clemson (152)
DE: Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami (92)
DT: Peter Woods, Clemson (142)
DT: Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State (56)
LB: Kyle Louis, Pitt (98)
LB: Wade Woodaz, Clemson (77)
LB: Sammy Brown, Clemson (76)
CB: Avieon Terrell, Clemson (129)
CB: Chandler Rivers, Duke (106)
S: Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU (86)
S: Terry Moore, Duke (81)
•••
Specialists 
PK: Collin Rogers, SMU (67)
P: Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse (70)
SP: Desmond Reid, Pitt (68)

2025 ACC Football Preseason Player of the Year

Rank, Name, Position, School
1. Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson (146)
2. Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech (9)
3. Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU (5)
T4. Carson Beck, QB, Miami (4)
T4. Kyron Drones, QB, Virginia Tech (4)
6. Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville (3)
T7. Quintayvious Hutchins, DE, Boston College (2)
T7. CJ Bailey, QB, NC State (2)
T7. Eli Holstein, QB, Pitt (2)
T7. Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt (2)
T7. Desmond Reid, RB, Pitt (2)
T12. Lewis Bond, WR, Boston College (1)
T12. Jamal Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech (1)
Votes in parentheses
183 media voters

ACC football predicted order of finish (media vote)

Rank, Team, Points
1. Clemson (167) — 3,083
2. Miami (Fla.) (7) — 2,679
3. Southern Methodist (2) — 2,612
4. Georgia Tech (2) — 2,397
5. Louisville — 2,370
6. Duke — 1,973
7. Florida State (4) — 1,920
8. North Carolina — 1,611
9. Pittsburgh — 1,571
10. NC State — 1,505
11. Virginia Tech (1) — 1,412
12. Syracuse — 1,381
13. Boston College — 953
14. Virginia — 871
15. California — 659
16. Wake Forest — 576
17. Stanford — 426