Georgia Tech seniors Andrew Gardner, Vance Walker and Michael Johnson were named to the preseason All-ACC football team on Wednesday, and Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper of Alpharetta was predicted to be the league's player of the year.

Gardner, a left tackle, and Walker, a defensive tackle, were first-team All-ACC after last season, when Tech had more first-team players (five, including running back Tashard Choice, punter Durant Brooks and kicker Travis Bell) and more combined first- and second-teamers (eight) than any team in the league.

Clemson, the media's preseason pick to win the ACC, Florida State and Wake Forest all placed four players on the first team.

The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Gardner, who played at Sandy Creek High were he was a teammate with wide receiver Calvin Johnson before joining him again at Tech, redshirted in 2004, and has started every game — 39 straight — since. He is on the Outland Trophy watch list.

Walker, a 6-2, 293-pounder from Ft. Mill, S.C., last season made 77 tackles and assists with 10 sacks among 18 tackles for lost yardage, three fumbles caused and two recovered. He also is on the Outland Trophy watch list.

Johnson has started just two games at Tech while backing up departed senior ends Adamm Oliver and Darrell Robertson, but the 6-7, 260-pounder from Selma, Ala., has flashed brilliance in limited playing time. He had four sacks last season, and five as a sophomore.

Harper, who set 21 school records last season, played at Sequoyah High. He received 34 of 64 votes as players of the year, outdistancing teammate and running back James Davis (16) of Atlanta's Douglass High. Clemson running back C.J. Spiller (4) was third in the voting.