Davis finds gems for Tar Heel class

Butch Davis continues to make an impact for North Carolina, and Bobby Bowden showed that he and his Seminoles still have the touch. The Journal-Constitution ranks the recruiting classes for the ACC schools:

> 1. North Carolina: The Tar Heels nabbed Northside (N.C.) defensive end Donte Moss, the No. 16 overall prospect by Rivals.com. They also secured 6-foot-3, 192-pound quarterback Bryn Renner to complete a 29-player class, Davis’ finest in three years in Chapel Hill.

> 2. Florida State: The Seminoles made a big splash, signing Madison County (Fla.) defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel, one of the most coveted defensive players in the nation. Lowndes defensive back Greg Reid and running back Chris Thompson, a teammate of McDaniel’s, were also big scores.

> 3. Miami: Ray Ray Armstrong, the No. 13 overall prospect by Rivals, highlighted a 21-person class. Wichita East (Kan.) running back Bryce Brown, perhaps the nation’s top prospect, is waiting to make his decision but is leaning toward the Hurricanes.

> 4. Virginia Tech: The Hokies picked up 11 of the top 30 players in Virginia, according to Rivals. The top prospect in that group is George Washington running back David Wilson, the reigning Nike Indoor champion in the triple jump. Logan Thomas, a 6-6, 233-pound tight end from Brookville, was also a big signing.

> 5. Maryland: Twenty-two of the 26 signings were either three- or four-star recruits, according to Rivals. The pick of the bunch is defensive end DeOnte Arnett.

> 6. Clemson: The Tigers signed only 12 players, but there’s a lot of quality in the group, led by Malliciah Goodman, the No. 38 overall prospect by Rivals.

> 7. Virginia: The Cavaliers were last in the ACC in total offense in 2008, so they upgraded in a number of areas on that side of the ball, namely with Morgan Moses, one of the nation’s top offensive tackles, and wide receiver Tim Smith.

> 8. N.C. State: The Wolfpack dipped into the Georgia talent pool, claiming seven Peach State prospects. The one Florida player —- defensive back Jarvis Byrd (Pahokee) —- is the team’s finest catch.

> 9. Duke: A struggling offense (102nd in 2008) got a little better with the signing of Hillside (N.C.) running back Desmond Scott, who headlined a 27-player class.

> 10. Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets signed 14 in-state players, yet Center Grove quarterback Jordan Luallen (Rivals’ No. 4 player in Indiana) is the prize of the class.

> 11. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons didn’t sign any player in Rivals’ top 250, though one of the ACC’s best defenses added a solid linebacker in Justin Jackson of Rockingham, N.C.

> 12. Boston College: New York product Dillon Quinn, Rivals’ No. 10 defensive tackle, highlighted a 17-player class.