Virginia Tech placed two players on the preseason All-ACC team, with defenders Dorian Strong and Aeneas Peebles voted to the squad by the media in Charlotte last week.
Three different Hokies earned Player of the Year votes from the 170 media members who turned in ballots, though they didn't make the team. Quarterback Kyron Drones got 13 votes as the ACC's top player, the fourth most in the league. Running back Bhayshul Tuten got two votes and defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland got one.
Miami's Cam Ward was voted as the preseason Player of the Year. North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton was second and Cal's Jaydn Ott third.
Strong and Peebles are the first pair of Hokies to be selected to the preseason All-ACC team in Brent Pry’s time at Virginia Tech. The last players to make it were tight end James Mitchell and defensive end Amare Barno ahead of the 2021 season.
Strong was also a third-team all-conference pick at cornerback last year after one of the best statistical seasons by a Hokies cornerback in recent memory. He was the second FBS cornerback since 2014 with 300+ coverage snaps to give up fewer than 10 receptions and less than 100 receiving yards.
Strong finished the season with a team-best three interceptions, giving him five for his career.
Peebles, a defensive tackle who transferred to Tech this offseason, was a third-team All-ACC selection last year for Duke, despite making just one start. He was the Blue Devils’ co-leader with 8.5 tackles for a loss and ranked second in sacks.
Pro Football Focus gave him an 86.1 grade in 2023, the second-best mark among returning interior linemen in the ACC.
Here's the full team (votes in parentheses, 170 total voters):
2024 Preseason All-ACC Football Team
QB: Cam Ward, Miami (85)
RB: Omarion Hampton, North Carolina (114)
RB: Jaydn Ott, Cal (70)
WR: Kevin “KC” Concepcion, NC State (119)
WR: Xavier Restrepo, Miami (93)
WR: Elic Ayomanor, Stanford (42)
TE: Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse (48)
AP: Jaydn Ott, Cal (49)
OT: Darius Washington, Florida State (93)
OT: Blake Miller, Clemson (53)
OG: Willie Lampkin, North Carolina (64)
OG: Michael Gonzalez, Louisville (56)
C: Maurice Smith, Florida State (62)
DE: Ashton Gillotte, Louisville (52)
DE: Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami (49)
DT: Joshua Farmer, Florida State (75)
DT: Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech (64)
LB: Barrett Carter, Clemson (129)
LB: Francisco Mauigoa, Miami (72)
LB: Marlowe Wax, Syracuse (67)
CB: Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech (65)
CB: Aydan White, NC State (56)
S: Jonas Sanker, Virginia (73)
S: R.J. Mickens, Clemson (44)
PK: Andres Borregales, Miami (92)
P: Alex Mastromanno, Florida State (81)
SP: Brashard Smith, SMU (36)
2024 ACC Preseason Player of the Year
1. Cam Ward, QB, Miami (71)
2. Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina (38)
3. Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson (15)
4. Kyron Drones, QB, Virginia Tech (13)
5. Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech (12)
6. Jaydn Ott, RB, Cal (8)
7. Ashton Gillotte, DL, Louisville (5)
8. Jordan Moore, WR, Duke (3)
9. Preston Stone, QB, SMU (2)
10. Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech (2)
11. Antwaun Powell-Ryland, DL, Virginia Tech (1)