The Osceola's preseason All-ACC ballots

It really seems like this will be a return-to-form year for the Florida State football team in terms of preseason All-ACC representation.

After FSU had five total preseason All-ACC players picked over Mike Norvell's first three seasons (four in 2020 and one in 2022), the Seminoles should have at least five players on this year's preseason All-ACC team and potentially the Preseason Player of the Year in quarterback Jordan Travis.

The preseason All-ACC team is set to be announced Tuesday after voting was done last week at ACC Kickoff in Charlotte.

Additionally, the ACC's projected order of finish will be released this upcoming week. FSU is perceived to be in a two-team battle along with Clemson to be named the preseason conference favorite. The Seminoles haven't been picked to win the ACC since 2017 and were picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Division last year, fourth in the Atlantic in 2021 and seventh overall in 2020.

Before the projected order of finish and preseason All-ACC teams are announced on Tuesday and Wednesday, Osceola staff members Bob Ferrante and Curt Weiler are sharing who they picked for their preseason All-ACC teams as well as how they picked the projected order of finish in the first year of the division-less ACC.

Before offering some thoughts on specific players or decisions, it's important to understand that voters can only select one player at quarterback, tight end and center. This ballot could reflect the depth of some position groups if we could vote for a few quarterbacks in an order (Travis, Drake Maye, etc.). Similarly, Gadsden earns votes while an SEC transfer like Jaheim Bell could be overlooked (although Gadsden's 2022 stats are impressive).

We're probably agreeing more than disagreeing on these offense picks. I have seven FSU picks, while Curt has six, on offense. Both feel like big numbers, yes? But part of the argument is FSU has a high number of returning, productive players and a good chunk of the top ACC players on other programs are now in the NFL. As noted by David Teel of Richmond.com: "Of the 29 returning players who earned first-, second- or third-team All-ACC, seven play for Florida State."

We agree on Travis and Gadsden, with Trey Benson and Will Shipley in varying order. We agree on Christian Mahogany, who was injured last fall but was an All-ACC pick in 2021 for BC.

Each of us are taking a flyer on a transfer receiver, with Curt picking Keon Coleman (Michigan State to FSU) and me taking Jamari Thrash (Georgia State to Louisville). We also have the benefit of having watched UTEP transfer Jeremiah Byers at FSU this spring.

Similar to offense, there are some automatic picks. Among those are Jared Verse, Fentrell Cypress, Jeremiah Trotter and Aydan White. We differ a bit on the order of Fabien Lovett and Tyler Davis at defensive tackle, but they feel like the top two defensive tackles. There's consensus on Kam Kinchens being one of the league's top safeties.

Clemson is viewed as having the ACC's top group of linebackers and arguably one of the best in the nation. Curt gave a nod to Clemson's Barrett Carter, while I picked Cedric Gray of UNC.

Ideally, we could produce a deeper pool of names across the ACC by nominating four candidates at defensive end and defensive tackle.

We each have four FSU preseason candidates. In theory, Patrick Payton makes this list if the ACC allowed four defensive ends within the ballot selection process. He's a tough omission but incredibly worthy.

Both Curt and I went with Travis for Preseason Player of the Year.

After throwing for over 3,200 yards, rushing for 417 more and accounting for 31 total touchdowns (24 passing, 7 rushing) while leading the Seminoles to their first 10-win season since 2016, his decision to return for a sixth season in college football (fifth at FSU) makes him one of the most highly-touted players nationally entering the 2023 season.

A strong case can be made for UNC quarterback Drake Maye, who is probably the favorite to win Preseason Player of the Year when it is announced next week. He led the ACC with 4,321 passing yards and 38 touchdown passes in his first year as a starter last fall.

However, Maye lost both his offensive coordinator and his top wide receiver, Josh Downs, off last year's team. Travis, on the other hand, returns all his coaches and almost every skill-position player from last year with a few key additions as well.

Additionally, FSU has higher expectations than UNC this fall, a potential factor in the ACC POTY race as well.

The case could also be made for a defensive player here like FSU defensive end Jared Verse or Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. However, it would take a truly remarkable season for a defensive player to win ACC Player of the Year in addition to Defensive Player of the Year, which doesn't have a preseason vote.

A preseason storyline we've hit on a few times: Florida State appears to have the fewest questions of any of the ACC teams, including Clemson.

FSU's biggest questions are likely special teams, linebacker depth and developing safeties. The biggest loss from 2022 was Jammie Robinson jumping to the NFL. FSU doesn't have a first-year offensive or defensive coordinator, which contenders like Clemson, UNC, Pitt and Miami all have.

Clemson's questions include receiver and defensive line depth. The Tigers have a potential star in Cade Klubnik, but how fast will he progress? Or let's put it this way: If quarterback experience matters, would you take Travis or Klubnik? Or would you rather have Maye or Klubnik?

If it feels like there are tiers in the ACC in 2023, that's likely because there is a drop off from the FSU-Clemson tier to a second group of UNC and Pittsburgh.

The Tar Heels have Maye and a few good playmakers around him (RB Elijah Green and WR Devontez Walker, among others). But can they win shootouts with a porous defense? Pitt adds Boston College quarterback transfer Phil Jurkovec, but loses quite a few pieces from its stellar 2022 defense along with star running back Israel Abanikanda.

There is a third tier with those who could be contenders but may be on the outside looking in, at least for now. When was the last time we could say Duke was in the mix in the ACC? This may be a bit of a stretch, but the Blue Devils will have their chance to beat Clemson and FSU. There's an obvious talent gap but second-year coach Mike Elko has the Blue Devils playing beyond expectations, and with a talented quarterback in Riley Leonard.

We're also curious about Louisville, taking a flyer on the Cardinals and first-year head coach Jeff Brohm. The Cardinals also went all-in on the transfer portal under Brohm. Louisville is out of the Atlantic Division and won't have to play FSU or Clemson, about as much of a homecoming gift for Brohm as anyone could request.

Few coaches consistently maximize their talent like Dave Clawson. This will be a tough job without Sam Hartman, no doubt. But take Wake lightly at your own risk. NC State loses Devin Leary but gains Brennan Armstrong. If the Wolfpack get the 2021 version of Armstrong, who threw for more than 4,000 yards, 31 touchdowns and completed 65 percent of his passes, the Wolfpack could also be at the top of tier 2.

Miami could be better and should be better. Mario Cristobal admitted it has been a full-on rebuild and he's rebuilt the staff, too. Eight wins (including a bowl?) would show progress but that's clearly not where Hurricanes fans want to be.

We have some consensus on the bottom (basement) five. It's tough to win at Syracuse with few Power 5 prospects in the neighborhood. Dino Babers' teams have gone from one win in 2020 to five wins to seven wins. But with Sean Tucker off to the NFL, it's tough to see the trend continue. In some order, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Boston College and Virginia will look for a few wins to avoid the true bottom. Three of the four feature second-year coaches (counting Brent Key's interim half-season of 2022), while Jeff Hafley has his work cut out in year 4 after an injury-depleted team struggled last fall.

Discuss this story on the Osceola Village

Follow The Osceola on Facebook

Follow The Osceola on Twitter

Subscribe to the Osceola's YouTube channel

Subscribe to the Osceola's podcasts on Apple

Subscribe to the Osceola's podcasts on Spotify