Pitt gets three preseason all-ACC players, ranked 8th

The ACC Network show, Packer and Durham, announced Friday its preseason projections, which included three Pitt players on its preseason All-ACC team, and the program to finish eighth in the conference.

Pitt being ranked eighth among the 15 teams competing in the ACC, that now includes Notre Dame, is lower than last season where they ranked ACC Coastal division, and were tied for the fifth best conference record in the ACC.

Safety Paris Ford, center Jimmy Morrissey and edge rusher Patrick Jones II were the players selected to be on the All-ACC team:

Ford is the biggest star on Pitt's team after Jalen Twyman opted out of the season, after leading Pitt with 97 tackles and three interceptions. He was on the 2019 All-ACC team and decided to forego the draft to come back for his junior season. He projects to be on of the best safeties in this upcoming NFL Draft, along with Florida State's Hamsah Nasirildeen and Texas' Caden Sturns. Ford is also an All-American candidate, as well as a preseason candidate for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Bronk Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award.

Morrissey is the leader of Pitt's offensive line after walking on and redshirting in 2016 and starting in 36 games since 2017. He didn't give up a single sack in 2019 and is a preseason candidate for several awards, including being an All-American, and Academic All-American, the Outland Trophy, the Rimington Trophy and the Burlsworth Trophy.

Jones is projected to be the best of Pitt's defensive front with Twyman gone for the season. His 8.5 sacks last season was second most on the team and fourth most in the ACC. His four forced fumbles was the most in the ACC, and his 0.31 fumbles forced per game average was the sixth highest in the country. He's a preseason candidate to be an All-American, as well as to win the Ted Hendricks Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award.