BLACKSBURG – Pro Football Focus announced Wednesday that eight Virginia Tech football players have been selected to its 2021 All-ACC preseason team, including two first-team honorees in TE James Mitchell and CB Jermaine Waller. OLs Johnny Jordan, Lecitus Smith and Luke Tenuta all earned second-team honors along with WR Tré Turner, while WR Tayvion Robinson and CB Dorian Strong were among the honorable mentions.
First Team
Mitchell (6-3, 242) enters his fourth season with the Hokies after leading the team with four receiving touchdowns in 2020. The Big Stone Gap, Virginia native hauled in 26 catches for 435 yards in 10 games (nine starts) in 2020. In his 36 career games (18 starts) for Tech, Mitchell has accumulated 47 receptions for 796 yards with six touchdowns to go along with five rushing TDs. He was a second-team All-ACC pick of PFF College last season.
Waller (6-1, 180) is healthy in 2021 after injuries limited him to a pair of starts in 2020. In 2019, the Washington, D.C. product was an All-ACC honorable mention selection after playing in all 13 games (10 starts) and finishing the season tied for seventh in the ACC with three interceptions. In his career at Tech, Waller has registered 63 tackles (48 solo), 3.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks.
Second Team
Jordan (6-1, 312) was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection as a senior at Maryland in 2020 after starting four games at center. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Jordan was part of a Terps' offense that ranked second in the Big Ten averaging 264.0 passing ypg. The Leesburg, Virginia native started 16 games at center during his Maryland career.
Smith (6-3, 320) helped pave the way for RB Khalil Herbert, who racked up 1,182 rushing yards in 2020. The Fitzgerald, Georgia native started all 11 contests for the Hokies at left guard last season. He was named to the PFF College National Team of the Week after the Hokies racked up 260 yards and four rushing scores at then-No. 8 North Carolina. An honorable mention selection on the official All-ACC team in 2020, Smith was a second-team All-ACC pick of Eric Mac Lain and a third-team All-ACC selection of PFF College.
Tenuta (6-7, 315) makes the move to left tackle in 2021 after anchoring the right tackle post for Tech in 2020. The massive offensive lineman started nine contests at right tackle a year ago and earned PFF College National Team of the Week honors after Tech rolled up 314 rushing yards vs. NC State (9/26/20). Tenuta was a key part of an offensive front that helped RB Khalil Herbert register 1,182 rushing yards as the Hokies set a school record by averaging 5.58 yards per carry last season. Tenuta was a third-team All-ACC selection of both PFF College and ACC Network's Eric Mac Lain in 2020.
Turner (6-2, 187) started 10 games at wide receiver a year ago, when he was a PFF College second-team All-ACC selection. The Greensboro, N.C. native ranked second on the squad with 34 receptions for 529 yards (15.6 avg.) and tied for second with three TDs. In 33 career games (26 starts) at Tech, Turner owns 94 catches for 1,617 yards with 11 TDs. He also has 41 carries for 392 yards with four TDs in his career. He needs six more receptions in 2021 to become the 15th player in school history to reach the 100-catch plateau.
Honorable Mention
Robinson (5-10, 187) started all 11 games a year ago, leading the Hokies with 38 receptions for 592 yards, while ranking second on the squad with three TD catches. He also returned 10 punts for a total of 21 yards and rushed the ball seven times for 48 yards. The Virginia Beach, Virginia native tied a season-high with five receptions for a career-best 98 yards, including a 60-yard TD vs. Virginia (12/12/20). In 24 career games at Tech (18 starts), he owns 69 catches for 996 yards with four TDs.
Strong (6-0, 174) was a CBS Sports/247 Sports Freshman All-American after a 2020 season that saw him play in 11 games (five starts) and record 22 tackles with one interception. The Upper Marlboro, Maryland product had a career game versus Virginia (12/12/20) racking up five tackles and recording an INT. Strong had the second-most pass breakups on the team a season ago with five.
