The ACC delivered a total of 32 picks from 13 of 14 schools in the 2023 NFL Draft with Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey selected in the first round at No. 19 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kancey, an All-American was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy (outstanding interior lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (national defensive player of the year).
Though the Pitt lineman was mocked as a first round pick a number of other players were presumed to be selected before him. That was not to be the case as the draft immediately became topsy-turvy and quite a few available players weren’t selected as they were mocked. Kancey wasn’t the only Pitt player chosen in the draft as the Panthers had a very productive weekend.
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Next in line among ACC players was Zay Flowers out of Boston College. The wide receiver has been chatted up through most of the pre-draft season as being a round 1 selection and he didn’t fail to deliver. Flowers’ stock rarely fluctuated in mock drafts and the Baltimore Ravens added him to their arsenal for former Louisville QB Lamar Jackson.
Pitt
NFL Draft – ACC Players
| ROUND | PLAYER | TEAM |
| 1-19 | CALIJAH KANCEY | TAMPA BAY |
| 1-22 | ZAY FLOWERS | BALTIMORE |
| 1-28 | MYLES MURPHY | CINCINNATI |
| 1-29 | BRYAN BRESEE | NEW ORLEANS |
| 2-38 | MATTHEW BERGERON | ATLANTA |
| 2-46 | KEION WHITE | NEW ENGLAND |
| 2-56 | TYRIQUE STEVENSON | CHICAGO |
| 3-72 | GARRETT WILLIAMS | ARIZONA |
| 3-79 | JOSH DOWNS | INDIANAPOLIS |
| 3-82 | YAYA DIABY | TAMPA BAY |
| 3-86 | TRENTON SIMPSON | BALTIMORE |
| 3-89 | KOBIE TURNER | LA RAMS |
| 4-114 | CHANDLER ZAVALA | CAROLINA |
| 4-119 | CHAMARRI CONNER | KANSAS CITY |
| 4-120 | CARTER WARREN | NEW YORK JETS |
| 5-136 | YASIR ABDULLAH | JACKSONVILLE |
| 5-137 | KJ HENRY | WASHINGTON |
| 5-143 | ISRAEL ABANIKANDA | NEW YORK JETS |
| 5-145 | JAMMIE ROBINSON | CAROLINA |
| 5-153 | SIRVOCEA DENNIS | TAMPA BAY |
| 5-156 | JORDAN MCFADDEN | LA CHARGERS |
| 5-159 | DONTAYVION WICKS | GREEN BAY |
| 5-162 | WILL MALLORY | INDIANAPOLIS |
| 5-169 | ASIM RICHARDS | DALLAS |
| 5-175 | DAVIS ALLEN | LA RAMS |
| 6-180 | KEI’TREL CLARK | ARIZONA |
| 6-195 | A.T. PERRY | NEW ORLEANS |
| 6-208 | ERICK HALLETT | JACKSONVILLE |
| 7-219 | ANTOINE GREEN | DETROIT |
| 7-227 | RAYMOND VOHASEK | JACKSONVILLE |
| 7-247 | D.J. IVEY | CINCINNATI |
| 7-248 | BRANDON HILL | HOUSTON |
With a total of 259 names called over 3 days in addition to the UDFA (see below) list of players the conference delivered a boatload of talent to the NFL. Pitt and Clemson each had six selections, North Carolina four, Syracuse and Wake Forest two and the remaining teams (Boston College, Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech) all had one player selected.
Even though Duke did not have a player drafted in rounds 1-7, numerous players are signing on as UDFA’s. Here’s a link to the latest list of player signings including those from the ACC – PFF.
