AP All-ACC: Georgia Tech’s King, Virginia’s Elliott, Miami duo secure top individual honors

By Canadian Press on December 8, 2025.

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., and Virginia coach Tony Elliott won top individual honors from The Associated Press for the 2025 season in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

In results released Monday, King was named the AP league offensive player of the year, Bain was defensive player of the year and Elliott was named coach of the year. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah (transfer) and Miami receiver Malachi Toney (freshman) were the league’s top newcomers for each category.

King thrived as a dual threat, throwing for 2,697 yards and 12 touchdowns while running for 922 yards and 15 more scores.

Elliott was picked as the top coach after guiding the 20th-ranked Cavaliers to the league title game and a 10-win season after being picked to finish 14th in the league.

The selections of Bain and Toney, coming after voting by 17 media members who regularly cover the league, was part of a league-best haul of AP All-ACC honors for No. 10 Miami. The Hurricanes, who earned an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff, had five first-team selections and claimed nine spots on the All-ACC team.

Bain was part of a defense that ranked sixth nationally in scoring (13.8) and 11th in total yardage (277.8). The Hurricanes had three of the four first-team defensive linemen on the AP All-ACC team.

Toney was a second-team pick at receiver and a first-team pick as an all-purpose threat with his ability to run and return punts.

Mensah, who transferred from Tulane, led the league in passing efficiency, passing yardage (3,646) and passing TDs (30) in leading the Blue Devils t o their first outright ACC title since 1962. Duke, which beat Virginia in Saturday night’s title game, joined Clemson with five picks for the second-highest total among league schools.

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The 2025 Associated Press All-Atlantic Coast Conference team, as selected by a panel of 17 media members who regularly cover the league. Players at all positions are listed alphabetically with name, school, height, weight, class and hometown; “u-” denotes unanimous selections:

First team

Offense

QB — Haynes King, Georgia Tech, 6-3, 215, R-Sr., Longview, Texas

RB — J’Mari Taylor, Virginia, 5-9, 204, Gr., Charlotte, North Carolina

RB — Hollywood Smothers, N.C. State, 5-11, 195, R-So., Charlotte, North Carolina

WR — Duce Robinson, Florida State, 6-6, 223, Jr., Phoenix

WR — Chris Bell, Louisville, 6-2, 220, Sr., Yazoo City, Mississippi

TE — Justin Joly, N.C. State, 6-3, 263, Sr., Brewster, New York

OT — Francis Mauigoa, Miami, 6-6, 335, Jr., ‘Ili’ili, American Samoa

OT — Brian Parker II, Duke, 6-5, 305, R-Jr., Cincinnati

OG — Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech, 6-4, 330, Sr., Royston, Georgia

OG — Logan Parr, SMU, 6-4, 318, Gr., Helotes, Texas

C — Luke Petitbon, Florida State, 6-2, 310, R-Sr., Annapolis, Maryland

PK — Aidan Birr, Georgia Tech, 6-1, 205, R-Jr., Kennedale, Texas

All-purpose — Malachi Toney, Miami, 5-11, 188, Fr., Liberty City, Florida

Defense

DE — Rueben Bain Jr., Miami, 6-3, 270, Jr., Miami

DE — Akheem Mesidor, Miami, 6-3, 265, R-Sr., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

DT — Ahmad Moten Sr., Miami, 6-3, 300, R-Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida

DT — Peter Woods, Clemson, 6-3, 310, Jr., Alabaster, Alabama

LB — Caden Fordham, N.C. State, 6-1, 230, Gr., Ponte Vedra, Florida

LB — Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh, 6-1, 220, R-Jr., East Orange, New Jersey

LB — Sammy Brown, Clemson, 6-2, 235, So., Commerce, Georgia

CB — Hezekiah Masses, California, 6-1, 185, Sr., Deerfield Beach, Florida

CB — Avieon Terrell, Clemson, 5-11, 180, Jr., Atlanta

S — Nick Andersen, Wake Forest, 5-11, 197, Sr., Clifton, Virginia

S — Ahmaad Moses, SMU, 5-10, 205, Sr., Arlington, Texas

P — Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse, 6-1, 215, R-Sr., Camarillo, California

Second team

Offense

QB — Darian Mensah, Duke, 6-3, 205, R-So., San Luis Obispo, California

RB — Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest, 5-10, 195, Sr., Aylett, Virginia

RB — Nate Sheppard, Duke, 5-10, 200, Fr., Mandeville, Louisiana

WR — Malachi Toney, Miami, 5-11, 188, Fr., Liberty City, Florida

WR — Cooper Barkate, Duke, 6-1, 195, Gr., Newport Beach, California

TE — Sam Roush, Stanford, 6-5, 260, Sr., Nashville, Tennessee

OT — Blake Miller, Clemson, 6-6, 315, Gr., Strongsville, Ohio

OT — PJ Williams, SMU, 6-5, 313, R-Jr., Dickinson, Texas

OG — Anez Cooper, Miami, 6-6, 345, Sr., Pleasant Grove, Alabama

OG — Logan Taylor, Boston College, 6-7, 312, R-Sr., Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

C — Brady Wilson, Virginia, 6-2, 298, Gr., Spanish Fort, Alabama

PK — Trey Butkowski, Pittsburgh, 6-0, 170, Fr., Orlando, Florida

All-purpose — Jacob De Jesus, California, 5-7, 170, Sr., Manteca, California

Defense

DE — Isaiah Smith, SMU, 6-4, 248, Sr., Washington, District of Columbia

DE — Melkart Abou Jaoude, North Carolina, 6-5, 260, R-Jr., Newton, New Jersey

DT — Jordan van den Berg, Georgia Tech, 6-3, 310, R-Sr., Johannesburg, South Africa

DT — Rene Konga, Louisville, 6-4, 300, R-Sr., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

LB — Cade Uluave, California, 6-1, 235, Jr., South Jordan Utah

LB – Rasheem Biles, Pittsburgh, 6-1, 220, Jr., Columbus, Ohio

LB — Matt Rose, Stanford, 6-2, 230, R-Jr., Brecksville, Ohio

CB — Keionte Scott, Miami, 6-0, 195, R-Sr., San Diego

CB — Chandler Rivers, Duke, 5-10, 185, Sr., Beaumont, Texas

S — Jakobe Thomas, Miami, 6-2, 200, R-Sr., Tullahoma, Tennessee

S — (tie) Ricardo Jones, Clemson, 6-2, 195, So., Warner Robins, Georgia; Earl Little Jr., Florida State, 6-1, 199, R-Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida

P — Daniel Sparks, Virginia, 6-6, 217, Gr., Gadsden, Alabama

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Coach of the Year — Tony Elliott, Virginia

Offensive Player of the Year — Haynes King, Georgia Tech

Defensive Player of the Year — Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

Transfer newcomer of the year — Darian Mensah, Duke

Freshman newcomer of the year — Malachi Toney, Miami

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Voting panel:

Lia Assimakopoulos, The Dallas Morning News; Chad Bishop, Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Eric Crawford, WDRB TV, Louisville, Kentucky; Javon Edmonds, Syracuse.com; Amanda Filipcic-Godsey, The (Johnstown, PA) Tribune-Democrat; Chapel Fowler, The State of Columbia, South Carolina; David Hale, ESPN.com; Trevor Hass, Boston.com;; John Johnson, WXII TV, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Ryan Kelly, WCTV-TV, Tallahassee, Florida; Adam Lichtenstein, Florida Sun Sentinel; Eric Mac Lain, ACC Network; Greg Madia, The (Charlottesville, Virginia) Daily Progress; Mitchell Northam, SB Nation; Kate Rogerson, WTVD-TV, Durham, North Carolina; Damien Sordelett, Roanoke (Virginia) Times; Pat Welter, WRAL TV, Raleigh, North Carolina.

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Aaron Beard, The Associated Press