Miami's Darian Mensah Named 2026 ACC Football Preseason Player of the Year
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Miami quarterback Darian Mensah has been selected as the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Football Preseason Player of the Year, headlining the announcement of the 2026 All-ACC Preseason Football Team as voted on by media members attending the 2026 ACC Football Kickoff.
Mensah, who was also selected as the first-team preseason quarterback, received 97 votes to claim the league's top preseason individual honor. Miami was voted as the preseason favorite to win the ACC title after receiving the most points in the media's predicted order of finish, which was announced yesterday.
Mensah is coming off a breakout 2025 season in which he led Duke to the program's first ACC Football Championship, earning MVP honors in both the ACC Football Championship Game and the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. He was also named second-team All-ACC and the Associated Press Newcomer Transfer of the Year after leading the conference with 34 touchdown passes and 3,973 passing yards, both of which ranked second nationally. Following his transfer to Miami, Mensah's 34 touchdown passes last season are tied for the most among all returning FBS quarterbacks enter this season.
Miami paced all ACC programs with nine preseason selections, highlighted by wide receiver/all-purpose standout Malachi Toney, who earned three selections at wide receiver, all-purpose and specialist after being named the 2025 ACC Freshman of the Year. Clemson and Virginia followed with four selections each, while Louisville and SMU had two apiece. Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Virginia Tech each had one selection.
The ACC enters the 2026 season as the league begins its transition to a nine-game conference schedule. The season culminates with the 2026 ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 5, at noon ET on ABC.
2026 All-ACC Preseason Football Team
Offense
QB: Darian Mensah, Miami (112) *
RB: Mark Fletcher, Jr., Miami (127)
RB: Isaac Brown, Louisville (94)
WR: Malachi Toney, Miami (164)
WR: Duce Robinson, Florida State (131)
WR: Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (64)
TE: Jeremiah Hasley, Duke (61)
AP: Malachi Toney, Miami (94)
OT: PJ Williams, SMU (96)
OT: McKale Boley, Virginia (77)
OG: Noah Josey, Virginia (71)
OG: Samson Okunlola, Miami (53)
C: Josh Bates, SMU (64)
Defense
DE: Will Heldt, Clemson (87)
DE: Clev Lubin, Louisville (79)
DT: Ahmad Moten Sr., Miami (126)
DT: Kemari Copeland, Virginia Tech (89)
LB: Sammy Brown, Clemson (139)
LB: Kam Robinson, Virginia (98)
LB: Mohamed Toure, Miami (64)
CB: Ashton Hampton, Clemson (81)
CB: Chris Peal, Syracuse (45)
S: Bryce Fitzgerald, Miami (86)
S: KP Price, Boston College (45)
Specialists
PK: Aidan Birr, Georgia Tech (105)
P: Daniel Sparks, Virginia (48)
SP: Malachi Toney, Miami (104)
Votes by position in parentheses
*Preseason Player of the Year
188 media voters
2026 ACC Football Preseason Player of the Year
Rank, Name, Position, School
1. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (97)
2. Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU (25)
3. Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville (16)
4. CJ Bailey, QB, NC State (15)
5. Duce Robinson, WR, Florida State (12)
6. Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson (11)
7. Kam Robinson, LB, Virginia (5)
8. Will Heldt, DE, Clemson (4)
9. Mason Heintschel, QB, Pitt (3)
Votes in parentheses
188 media voters
