AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 09 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USRating the ACC’s best linebackers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’d stack this group of linebackers against any in the country. Here are my top five in the ACC as we head into the 2007 season. Who did I leave out?
1. Vince Hall, Sr., Virginia Tech: Led the nation’s best defense (219.46 ypg, 11.0 ppg) with 128 tackles. Had 10.5 tackles for loss. He has 304 tackles in 38 career starts. Coaches believe he is the best linebacker to ever play for Virginia Tech.
2. Phillip Wheeler, Sr., Georgia Tech: An All-ACC player last season who will be an All-American in 2007. Wheeler is so fast and so athletic that it is almost impossible to knock him off his feet. Had nine sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss last season.
3. Xavier Adibi, Sr., Virginia Tech: This guy would be the defensive star on any other team in the country. He was second on the team with 82 tackles and has six interceptions in his career. He was second team All-ACC last season. Barring injury, he’ll be on the first team in 2007.
4. Jolonn Dunbar, Sr., Boston College: The Eagles will be without LB Brian Toal, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. But Dunbar is a big time player. He had 7.5 sacks last season and recovered two fumbles for touchdowns against Maryland.
5. Nick Watkins, Sr. Clemson: Led Clemson in tackles last season with 116. Has been the model of consistency throughout his career with at least five tackles in each of his 25 career starts.
HONORABLE MENTION
Gary Guyton, Sr., Georgia Tech: Guyton moves over to take the spot vacated by KaMichael Hall, the All-ACC performer. Guyton had a big 2006 with eight tackles for loss and a fumble return for a touchdown in the win over Virginia Tech.**
Geno Hayes, Jr., Florida State: Spent the spring working at middle linebacker but coaches decided he wasn’t big enough (6-2, 218) to handle the position. He returns to outside linebacker, where he started 10 of 13 games as a sophomore.
Erin Henderson, Jr., Maryland: Henderson led the team with 114 tackles last season. Had 17 tackles in a win over Clemson. The Terps are expecting this guy to become a star this season.
Derek Nicholson, Jr., Florida State: The Seminoles’ middle linebacker is coming off a knee injury that knocked him out in the middle of the 2006. If he stays healthy, Nicholson will have a huge year.
Michael Taulilli, Jr., Duke: He was a freshman All-America in 2005 and last season had 94 tackles.
Comments
By BullDawg Rick
August 9, 2007 8:13 AM | Link to this
2 UGA Yech LB’s in the top 6 in the ACC?!?!?!? Man, that league is stinking up the South… Can you say “7 in a ROW”???
By Joe's daddy
August 9, 2007 8:15 AM | Link to this
Where’s Joe to ask for a Bulldog to be included in this list?
By ATL-Irish
August 9, 2007 8:27 AM | Link to this
I looked at a preseason rating of the local HS athletes the other day. This list is very similar.
By Touchdown Jesus says, "Go Jackets!"
August 9, 2007 8:46 AM | Link to this
pretty solid list, tony. a lot of people are saying that usc has the best linebacking corps in the country, but these people have obviously not seen Hall and Adibi in action. not to mention the pac-10 is completely pathetic.
bulldawg rick, this article is titled, “Rating the ACC’s best linebackers”. last time i checked, ugay wasn’t in the ACC. you apparently have no knowledge of what a good linebacker is, even though ugay has had some good ones of late. so please, leave your baseless comments to the ugay blogs.
and atl-irish? are you trying to make another lame joke about the ACC? why are you even looking at this article in the first place? you should instead be reading up on how afraid your coach is about the upcoming season. too bad all you n00b irish fans will be terribly disappointed this year when clausen, against Tech, throws for 120 yards and 4 picks, and fumbles twice on 6 sacks. you think your pathetic offense will do anything against Tech’s defense? you, sir (or ma’am), are mistaken.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbMw4tOM1Io
By ttown one
August 9, 2007 8:48 AM | Link to this
Obviously, VT has a great LB corp.
One name you may all recognize is Marcus Ball @ FSU. He might have a great year this year. FSU has one of the best DLs in the ACC this year. Ball or Dekoda Watson could have breakout years. Ball was a monster on special teams last year, until he went down with a knee injury.
A Duke player listed? Now that’s funny.
GTech will have a good defense again. UGA is not as good as many of the homers think, but let them wear their black and red glasses: they only block UV rays and the truth.
By Wrekker
August 9, 2007 10:17 AM | Link to this
Phillip Wheeler is better than any defensive player on UGAG. That’s according to all of the major college football pundits. Now go back and plow the fields before I fire you!!!
By Jamal
August 9, 2007 10:31 AM | Link to this
Wrekker- it must suck to be completely obsessed with Georgia. Jealousy is a biaatccch. Get over it, bro. You say one player is better than any other player on Georgia. Well, why can’t Tech beat Georgia. Too bad this is a team game and not individual. Is that all you have to hold on to? Once you beat someone, then you have some room to brag! Until then, you make yourself sound pathetic
By pdiddyGT
August 9, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
While wrekker’s comments are distasteful, his analysis of Philip Wheeler is more than accurate. He is better than any uga defender, especially considering uga has to replace 9 defensive starters.
And allow me to answer your question about why Tech can’t beat georgia—reggie ball. Luckily, he won’t be playing for uga anymore, so look out ugay fans for the next George Godsey/David Greene—Taylor Bennett.
By Wrecker1
August 9, 2007 10:56 AM | Link to this
Watch for Gary Guyton to have a big year. He’s been moved to a play making position (see Wheeler 05, Hall 06) and he has the size and speed to be a force. I didn’t realize how fast he was until he ran down James Davis of Clemmons last year after a long gain. Bulldawg Rick, get a clue. TECH’s defense has held Ugag to 3 TD’s in the last 2 games combined. Winning is the bottom line but you can’t rag the TECH defense unless you’re willing to say Ugag has a pitiful offense.
By scooter11
August 9, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this
Offense has been just good enough to win, and the defense has obviously played better than Tenuta’s, and that’s having to face the best receiver and running back in your conference, or so I heard.
By yellowblood
August 10, 2007 12:03 AM | Link to this
Bull Dawg Rick: You’re a constipated gasbag in dire need of bariatric surgery. Can we say 29 years without a nat’l championship ?