We’re still a week away from July 4, the unofficial midpoint of the summer season, but already the ACC’s focus has shifted to football.The league’s annual Football Kickoff media event is scheduled to take place on July 13-14 in Charlotte with the coaches and two players from each of the 14 schools taking part.The list of attendees was announced Tuesday, with plenty of star power to go around starting with the NC State duo of preseason All-American defensive end Bradley Chubb and all-purpose back/tight end Jaylen Samuels.With virtually all of its skill players from last season gone, North Carolina will be represented by offensive tackle Bentley Spain and cornerback M.J. Stewart while Duke’s contingent will consist of two Charlotte natives returning to their hometown quarterback Daniel Jones and safety Bryon Fields.Wake Forest, meanwhile, will bring star tight end Cam Serigne and defensive lineman Wendell Dunn.In all seven players from North Carolina will be attending this year’s ACC Football Kickoff, tying Florida was the most from any state.In addition to Samuels, Spain, Jones and Fields, the others are Boston College defensive end Harold Landry (Spring Lake/Pine Forest HS), Louisville cornerback Jaire Alexander (Charlotte/ Rocky River HS) and Clemson offensive guard Tyrone Crowder (Marston/Richmond County). Former East Carolina quarterback will also be in attendance, representing Virginia.Here is the list of all 28 players that have been chosen by their schools to participate in the ACC’s preseason media event:Boston College: Jon Baker, Offensive Lineman, 6-3, 298, Senior, Millis, Mass; Harold Landry, Defensive End, 6-3, 250, Senior, Spring Lake, N.C.Clemson: Tyrone Crowder, Offensive Guard, 6-2, 340, Redshirt Senior, Marston, N.C.; Christian Wilkins, Defensive Tackle, 6-4, 310, Junior, Springfield, Mass.Duke: Daniel Jones, Quarterback, 6-5, 210, Redshirt Sophomore, Charlotte, N.C.; Bryon Fields, Jr., Cornerback, 5-11, 185, Redshirt Senior, Charlotte, N.C.Florida State: Deondre Francois, Quarterback, 6-2, 205, Redshirt Sophomore, Orlando, Fla.;Derwin James, Defensive Back, 6-3, 211, Redshirt Sophomore, Haines City, Fla.Georgia Tech: Ricky Jeune, Wide Receiver, 6-3, 212, Redshirt Senior, Spring Valley, N.Y.; KeShun Freeman, Defensive End, 6-2, 250, Senior, LaGrange, Ga.Louisville: Lamar Jackson, Quarterback, 6-3, 200, Junior, Pompano Beach, Fla.; Jaire Alexander, Cornerback, 5-11, 192, Junior, Charlotte, N. C.Miami: Mark Walton, Running Back, 5-9, 205, Junior, Miami, Fla.;Shaquille Quarterman, Linebacker, 6-1, 240, Sophomore, Orange Park, Fla.UNC: Bentley Spain, Offensive Tackle, 6-6, 300, Senior, Charlotte, N.C.; M.J. Stewart, Cornerback, 6-0, 200, Senior, Arlington, Va.NC State: Jaylen Samuels, All-Purpose, 5-11, 223, Senior, Charlotte, N. C.; Bradley Chubb, Defensive End, 6-4, 275, Senior, Marietta, Ga.Pittsburgh: Brian O’Neill, Offensive Tackle, 6-6, 305, Redshirt Junior, Wilmington, Del.; Avonte Maddox, Cornerback, 5-9, 180, Senior, Detroit, Mich.Syracuse: Eric Dungey, Quarterback, 6-3, 221, Junior, Lake Oswego, Ore.; Zaire Franklin, Linebacker, 6-0, 244, Senior, Philadelphia, Pa.Virginia: Kurt Benkert, Quarterback, 6-4, 229, Redshirt Senior, Cape Coral, Fla.; Quin Blanding, Safety, 6-2, 215, Senior, Virginia Beach, Va.Virginia Tech: Cam Phillips, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 199, Senior, Laurel, Md.; Andrew Motuapuaka, Linebacker, 6-0, 233, Redshirt Senior, Virginia Beach, Va.Wake Forest: Cam Serigne, Tight End, 6-3, 250, Redshirt Senior, Ashburn, Va.; Wendell Dunn, Defensive Lineman, 6-3, 250, Redshirt Senior, Miami, Fla.For the second time in its history, the ACC will have the reigning Heisman Trophy winner at its preseason media event, as Louisville’s Lamar Jackson makes his second appearance at the Kickoff. Florida State’s Jameis Winston, the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner, attended the 2014 ACC Kickoff.Syracuse linebacker Zaire Franklin will become the first ACC player to attend the event three times after having previously represented the Orange in 2015 and 2016.Among the offensive players in attendance will be five quarterbacks, four offensive linemen, and five running backs or receivers, five defensive linemen, three linebackers and six defensive backs.
