The 10 Most Interesting Players Attending 2026 ACC Kickoff

The 2026 ACC Kickoff will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 15-17. Every year, each ACC team brings their head coach and a few players, all with varying roles on the team. While four players were brought on last year, this year, each team is bringing three.

The 10 Most Interesting Players Attending 2026 ACC Kickoff

Last season, several interesting storylines emerged. Stories like how Frank Reich and Stanford would approach the 2025-26 season, Carson Beck transferring from Georgia to Miami, and Tommy Castellanos defending his take about beating Alabama (he did on the field as well).

This season is more of the same, with transfer portal expansion and the Miami Hurricanes coming off a national championship appearance. Rumors and talking points will abound in this season’s ACC Football Kickoff. However, here are the 10 players who might have the most to say.

Honorable Mentions: Steve Angeli, QB, Syracuse, Malachi Hosley, RB, Georgia Tech, Jordan Shipp, WR, North Carolina

No. 10: Mark Fletcher Jr., RB, Miami

Fletcher Jr. is coming to the ACC Football Kickoff as one of the most accomplished players from this past season. He had always been a steady presence in Miami’s backfield, earning 500+ yards in 2023 and 2024.

However, this past season was his magnum opus. Fletcher Jr. earned an ACC-leading 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground through 14 games. He put the team on his back in the College Football Playoff, running for 507 yards on 75 carries through four games.

The 22-year-old halfback will have plenty of interesting stories to discuss, like the best moments in the playoffs for him, the different experiences he has with Cam Ward, Carson Beck, and now Darian Mensah, and ultimately, the biggest reasons why he came back. All eyes will be on Miami, with a lot of them set on what Fletcher has to say.

No. 9: Mason Heintschel, QB, Pitt

Mason Heintschel was the most intriguing freshman quarterback last season. The decision to bench Eli Holstein for him in the middle of the season was controversial, but it ended up working out in spades for Pitt. Heintschel completed 201 of his 316 passes for 2,354 yards, 16 touchdowns, and eight interceptions last season.

Pitt went 6-3 last season with Heintschel as their starter, including 6-1 in the ACC. In fact, they nearly made the ACC Championship with Heintschel as their quarterback. Next season will be very interesting for Heintschel and Pitt. They lost their two top wide receivers, a good running back, and their starting tight end, so whether Heintschel can repeat his efforts from last season will be important.

No. 8: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, QB, Cal

If it weren’t for Heintschel and his excellence, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele would’ve earned a lot more deserved credit. He threw for 3,454 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions last season, and he was a great watch on film all season.

With the additions of Chris Matthews (Ohio) and Ian Strong (Rutgers), Sagapolutele has more adept pass-catchers this season. And, Tosh Lupoi’s new defensive scheme should give him a ton of support on the other side of the ball. However, he will have a new offensive coordinator, which could mean a new scheme and some growing pains. Still, Sagapolutele should be a key player in the ACC due to his playstyle.

No. 7: Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson

Sammy Brown emerged as a defensive cornerstone in a rough season for Clemson. In his sophomore season, Brown had 106 tackles and five sacks, earning him a spot on the All-ACC First Team.

There is reason to believe Brown could be a candidate for national awards as well this upcoming season. However, a ton of contributors departed from last season’s squad. Aveion Terrell, Peter Woods, and T.J. Parker all went into the 2026 NFL draft, so Brown will have to be one of the leaders of Clemson’s defense next season. It’ll be interesting to hear what he thinks about the expanded role and about the new faces.

No. 6: Duce Robinson, WR, Florida State

Duce Robinson also earned All-ACC first-team honors for putting up 1,081 yards and six touchdowns on 56 receptions. He became Florida State’s first receiver with over 1,000 yards since 2019, And, with his upperclassmen status, many people thought he’d go to the NFL draft.

Instead, he decided to stay another season at FSU. It’ll be interesting to hear his perspective on why he stayed, along with his relationship with new quarterback Ashton Daniels and a new play-caller, with Gus Malzahn shockingly retiring over the offseason.

No. 5: Beau Pribula, QB, Virginia

Beau Pribula gets another shot to start at Virginia after a muddy tenure at Missouri. When he first transferred to the Tigers from Penn State, he looked like he could lead Missouri to new heights early on. However, he stumbled when SEC play went on, and he suffered an injury midway through the Vanderbilt game. Overall, he had just 1,941 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions on 270 dropbacks.

However, he enters an interesting situation with Virginia. They surprisingly went 11-3 last season. That was due to their well-balanced offense, with transfer Chandler Morris posting a 3,000-yard, 16-touchdown season. They would’ve made the College Football Playoff if they hadn’t lost to Duke in the ACC Championship.

Pribula is competing with former Pitt starter Eli Holstein for the starting job, but many journalists presume he will win, and if he does, he enters a quarterback-friendly situation where he can thrive. Pribula going to the 2026 ACC Kickoff over Holstein projects confidence that he will start, although we’ve seen coaches (Fran Brown) bring in a quarterback who ultimately didn’t end up starting (Rickie Collins).

No. 4: C.J. Bailey, QB, N.C. State

CJ Bailey is a dark-horse candidate to be the best quarterback in the ACC next season. He already has 25 starts under his belt at just 20 years old

Last season, Bailey threw for 3,105 yards, 25 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. His passer rating of 150.7 is second among returning quarterbacks in the ACC with over 200 attempts, behind just Darian Mensah. However, Bailey doesn’t have a ton of production coming back.

Running back Hollywood Smothers transferred to Texas, wide receiver Terrell Anderson transferred to USC, and tight end Justin Joly went to the NFL. Overall, N.C. State ranks outside the top-50 in returning talent, so it’ll be interesting to see who has had the most chemistry with Bailey.

No. 3: Justice Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech

Justice Haynes could be the most interesting non-quarterback transfer in the ACC. The former Alabama and Michigan product had a great season with the Wolverines last season, with 857 yards and 10 touchdowns on 121 yards. That translated to a Big Ten leading 7.1 yards per carry, and that was with him splitting carries with Jordan Marshall. However, he has a much different offensive system at Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets lost quarterback Haynes King to the draft, and he was their leading rusher. Haynes will be splitting carries with Malachi Hosley this season, with Hosley averaging a similar 7.1 yards per carry (697 yards, 98 carries). His presence will give people a big look into how Georgia Tech’s offense will operate next season.

No. 2: Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU

It feels like Jennings and SMU have been a sleeping giant in the ACC over the past two seasons. They made the College Football Playoff after losing the ACC Championship, and they were a loss to Cal away from making another championship appearance in 2025. And, Jennings has been the biggest reason why.

This past season, he had 3,641 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The interceptions are high, but he’s adept at avoiding pressure. He’s also improved steadily since he took over the starting job in 2024.

Head coach Rhett Lashlee made plenty of headlines for calling out the SEC last season. However, I’m interested to see how Jennings looks at his development in his final season. He could become a high draft pick if he leads SMU to a 10-win season and a College Football Playoff appearance.

However, he lost Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson, his two top pass-catchers from last season. His top running back, T.J. Harden, also ran out of eligibility. Who does he turn to as his No. 1 receiving option next season, and does he elevate his game if the rushing offense doesn’t work out this season? Both of those questions could be the key to SMU returning to the CFP and Jennings entering a dark-horse Heisman candidacy.

No. 1: Darian Mensah, QB, Miami

Darian Mensah is by far the most interesting player attending the 2026 ACC Kickoff. Mensah was the best quarterback in the ACC last season, leading the conference in yards (3,973) and touchdowns (34), while throwing just six interceptions. He had some rough games, but he was the biggest reason the Duke Blue Devils won the ACC last season, even with a 9-5 record.

However, he controversially transferred to Miami, despite reports that he had agreed on an extension to stay at Duke. Cooper Bartake, the Blue Devils’ top receiver last year, went with Mensah to Miami. There will be plenty of questions about Mensah’s decision, how he’s gelling in the new Miami offense with Fletcher Jr., Bartake, and Malachi Toney, his draft stock, and whether he can lead the Hurricanes over the top to win the national championship. Many eyes will be on Miami and Mensah this go-around, just like they were on Carson Beck last season.