CLEVELAND – The second preseason All-ACC team of 2019 is out. Noted college football guru Phil Steele has selected nine Virginia Tech players for his preseason all-conference squad. That group is headlined by WR Damon Hazelton, who earned a spot on the first team. Here's a look at Steele's entire list of Hokies selected.
First-Team Offense
WR Damon Hazelton – Led Tech with 51 catches for 802 yards and eight TDs in 2018. The Baltimore native was a second-team preseason All-ACC pick of Athlon Sports.
Second-Team Offense
TE Dalton Keene – Owns 38 receptions for 508 yards with three TDs in 26 career games (25 starts) for VT. Keene also earned second-team preseason all-conference honors from Athlon.
Second-Team Defense
LB Rayshard Ashby – Honorable mention All-ACC selection in 2018, led Tech and ranked third in the ACC with 105 tackles. The Chesterfield, Virginia product also earned second-team preseason All-ACC accolades from Athlon.
S Reggie Floyd – Ranked second on the squad with 88 total tackles and tied for second with 9.5 as a junior in 2018. The Manassas, Virginia product was a fourth-team preseason All-ACC selection by Athlon. He prepped at Stonewall Jackson High School, the same alma mater of CB Greg Stroman and DT Tim Settle, who were both drafted by the Washington Redskins following their Tech careers.
LB Dax Hollifield – Racked up 62 total tackles, 8.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks to go with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a true freshman a year ago. The Shelby, N.C. native was tabbed as a third-team preseason all-conference pick by Athlon.
Third-Team Offense
OL Christian Darrisaw – Earned Freshman All-American honors from 247 Sports in 2018. The former Fork Union Military Academy product was a second-team All-ACC preseason pick by Athlon.
QB Ryan Willis – Finished third in the ACC with a 2.67 TD-to-INT ratio, fourth in passing yards per game (226.3 ypg), fourth in pass efficiency (138.0) and fifth in total offense (244.8 ypg) in 2018. A fourth-team All-ACC pick by Athlon Sports, the Overland Park, Kansas native graces the East Coast covers of Phil Steele's 2019 College Football Preview.
Third-Team Specialists
P Oscar Bradburn – Honorable mention All-ACC pick in 2018 owns a 42.5-yard gross average with 47 punts inside the 20, in addition to 20 career punts of 50+ yards in 26 games with the Hokies. The native Australian was a second-team preseason All-ACC selection by Athlon.
Fourth-Team Defense
DT Jerrod Hewitt – The overall winner of Tech's 2019 Hard Hat Award for his performance in the off-season strength and conditioning program, Hewitt started 10 games for the Hokies in 2018.