What the NFL Gets From Each Power-5 Conference

Aug 14, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley (44) rushes Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) in the first quarter of a preseason NFL football game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Edge-rushers: ACC

To compete with all the franchise quarterbacks out there, NFL teams want an edge-rusher to disrupt him. Personnel people like to find such players in the SEC but they aren’t that successful outside of Derrick Thomas and Kevin Green. The ACC has been the conference that edge-rushers have traditionally come from.

All-time sack leader Bruce Smith and No. 4 all-time Chris Doleman come from Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh respectively. Just in case you didn’t know, those are both Atlantic Coast Conference schools. Lawrence Taylor and Julius Peppers each came from North Carolina, also an ACC school.

And the latest edge-rusher to come out of the ACC is Vic Beasley, who’s coming out of Clemson. Of all the edge-rushers or just plain pass-rushers in the 2015 draft, Beasley has the most career sacks. With his pass-rushing skill and freakish athleticism, I expect Beasley to have the best career of his class too.

Next: Left tackle