Even if the ACC didn’t bring home another national championship, it was a stellar season for the league in terms of individual performances, from an impressive freshmen class to big-time numbers posted by key veterans. Now we’re counting down the top 25 players of the season -- five per day -- starting with Nos. 21-25.
As a general rule, starting a true freshman at left tackle is a death knell for an offense, but Hyatt’s emergence at Clemson proved to be the exception. Not only did the Tigers allowed the second-fewest sacks per game in the ACC, and not only did Hyatt help pave the way for Wayne Gallman’s school rushing record, but the freshman lineman proved to be one of the best players on a team that played for a national championship.