The star players will continue to command the spotlight at the college football level and for good reason as they continue to drive their team’s hopes of competing for championships. However, the top teams have both the players that dominate the spotlight and players whose impact is actually somewhat underrated since they really don’t get as much credit as they deserve. Here is a look at four under the radar star players for the top ACC teams.
Clemson: Hunter Renfrow
Wide Receiver
Clemson suffered a major blow when Mike Williams suffered a neck injury in the team’s season opener a year ago. He was lost for the season and the Tigers had to adjust on the fly. But the good news is that opened up some playing time for a number of other players to step up. That’s exactly what they did, filling the void on offense, including the former walk-on Renfrow. The 5’10’’, 170-pound receiver finished the season with 33 catches for 492 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman and his value was on full display in the playoffs when he scored a touchdown against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. Williams is back along with Deon Cain and Artavis Scott, but it’s Renfrow that has the potential to shine as a star receiver that has flown under the radar to this point. The Tigers have an explosive offense and they’re going to be racking up the points against almost every opponent. That means there will be plenty of receptions and stats to go around with Renfrow getting an ample opportunity to stand out in the ACC.
Florida State: Ro’Derrick Hoskins
Linebacker
The Florida State defense is absolutely loaded with former four and five-star prospects and yet one player that has the potential to be an absolute stud this season is a blue-chip talent that has carved out his own role within the defense. Hoskins started six games in 2015 and recorded 52 tackles along with 6.5 tackles for loss. The higher profile players on the Seminoles’ defense continue to command the most attention but Hoskins has the potential to be a star and he might not fly under the radar in the ACC for much longer.
Louisville: Trumaine Washington
Cornerback
Washington finished last season with a team-high four interceptions for a Louisville defense that ranked 51st in the nation against the pass. The presence of high-profile transfers Josh Harvey and Shaq Wiggins took some of the attention away from Washington but there is no doubt about how impressive the job he did was. In addition to the four picks, Washington finished with three forced fumbles, 56 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two sacks. The Cardinals need another solid season from Washington in order to contend with the top teams in the ACC and there is every reason to believe they can bank on him to be one of the underrated stars of their secondary in 2016.
North Carolina: Andre Smith
Linebacker
The Tar Heels made substantial improvements on defense a year ago and additions like Smith were a big part of it. Smith finished sixth on the team in tackles as a true freshman despite not starting a single game including a breakout game versus Pittsburgh in which he had 11 tackles. Smith will have an even bigger role in the North Carolina defense in 2016 and he should remain a major factor in the success of a talented group that has the potential to be one of the better linebacker cores in the ACC.
Remember that the Tar Heels really need this defense to step up if they are to contend for an ACC crown. Their offense is about as good as it gets in the nation but their defense is the Achilles heel. Last season, the Tar Heels went on an 11-game winning streak but in their two final games against quality opponents, they gave up 45 points in a loss to Clemson and 49 in a loss to Baylor. If Smith stars, this defense could improve and the Tar Heels could contend for a College Football Playoff spot.
