PITTSBURGH, Pa. (theACC.com) – Six Atlantic Coast Conference football players were selected in the first round of the 2026 National Football League (NFL) Draft Thursday night at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The six first-round picks in this year’s draft are the most since the ACC had six selections in the 2021 NFL Draft.
With these six picks, the ACC has had 26 first round picks since 2021 and 128 since 2000.
The 2026 NFL Draft will continue with Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, April 24, at 7 p.m. ET.
ACC Selections in the 2026 NFL Draft:
Rd. – Overall Pick, Name, Position, School, NFL Team
1 – 10th, Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami, New York Giants
1 – 15th, Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 – 17th, Blake Miller, OT, Clemson, Detroit Lions
1 – 22nd, Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami, Los Angeles Chargers
1 – 26th, Keylan Rutledge, OG, Georgia Tech, Houston Texans
1 – 29th, Peter Woods, DT, Clemson, Kansas City Chiefs
Francis Mauigoa, Miami, Offensive Tackle – No. 10, New York Giants
- 2025 Consensus First Team All-American
- 2025 ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner
- 2025 All-ACC First Team
- 2024 All-ACC Second Team
- 2023 All-ACC Honorable Mention
- 2023 Freshman All-American
- Three-year starter with 42 career starts at right tackle for the Hurricanes
- Part of an offensive line that ranked No. 5 nationally and led the ACC in fewest tackles-for-loss allowed per game (3.63) in 2025
- Offensive line ranked No. 16 nationally and No. 2 in the ACC in sacks allowed per game (1.25) in 2025
- Earned an 87.0 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus in 2025, highest among qualified FBS right tackles
- Allowed just one sack in 205 true pass set snaps with a 93.7% win rate (PFF)
- Key member of the offensive line that was named to the Joe Moore Award midseason honor roll
Rueben Bain Jr., Miami, Edge – No. 15, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- 2025 Consensus First Team All-American
- 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year
- 2025 Ted Hendricks Award winner
- 2025 All-ACC First Team
- 2025 Lott IMPACT Trophy finalist
- 2024 All-ACC Honorable Mention
- 2023 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year
- 2023 All-ACC Third Team
- 2023 Freshman All-American
- Recorded 83 quarterback pressures in 2025, tied for the most in a single season in the Pro Football Focus College Era
- Totaled 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss and 9.5 sacks in 2025
- Added one interception, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal in 2025
- Key leader on a Miami defense that led the ACC and ranked in the top 15 nationally in scoring defense (14.8 ppg), rushing defense (89.3 ypg), sacks (50) and total defense (294.1 ypg)
- Finished career with 33.5 tackles-for-loss and 20.5 sacks
Blake Miller, Clemson, Offensive Tackle – No. 17, Detroit Lions
- 2025 All-ACC First Team
- 2025 NSCA Strength All-America nominee
- 2024 All-ACC First Team
- 2023 All-ACC Third Team
- 2022 Freshman All-American
- 2022 College Football Network ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Started all 13 games and played 885 offensive snaps in 2025
- Started every game of his four-year Clemson career (54)
- Set Clemson career record with 3,778 offensive snaps over 54 games (all starts) from 2022-25
- Set Clemson record for consecutive starts by a non-specialist (54)
- Became just the third Clemson offensive lineman to start every game over a four-year span
Akheem Mesidor, Miami, Edge – No. 22, Los Angeles Chargers
- 2025 Second Team All-American (The Sporting News)
- 2025 Ted Hendricks Award finalist
- 2025 All-ACC First Team
- 2024 All-ACC Honorable Mention
- 2022 All-ACC Honorable Mention
- One of the nation’s top pass rushers and a leading defensive presence for Miami
- Started all 15 games along the defensive line in 2025
- Led the ACC and ranked third nationally with 12.5 sacks in 2025
- Led Miami and ranked among national leaders with 17.5 tackles-for-loss
- Recorded a career-high 63 total tackles (38 solo) in 2025
- Posted a team-high four forced fumbles on the season
- Finished his collegiate career with 208 tackles, 52.5 tackles-for-loss and 35.5 sacks
Keylan Rutledge, Offensive Guard – No. 26, Houston Texans
- 2025 First Team All-American (ESPN, The Sporting News, Sports Info Solutions)
- 2025 Second Team All-American (AFCA, Walter Camp, On3)
- 2025 Third Team All-American (Associated Press)
- 2025 All-ACC First Team
- 2025 ACC Brian Piccolo Award winner
- 2024 First Team All-American (Sports Info Solutions)
- 2024 All-ACC First Team
- Started all 13 games at right guard for the Yellow Jackets in 2025
- Did not allow a sack and surrendered just six quarterback pressures over 872 snaps in 2025
- Was ranked as the nation’s No. 5 offensive guard by Pro Football Focus
- Anchored an offensive line unit that paved the way for the Yellow Jackets to rank among the top 25 nationally in rushing offense (197.5 ypg) and top five in fewest sacks allowed (0.69 pg)
- Started and played in 26 games over two years at Georgia Tech
- He is the first Georgia Tech player since Calvin Johnson to be a First-Team All-American in back-to-back years.
Peter Woods, Clemson, Defensive Tackle – No. 29, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2025 Second Team All-American (Associated Press, USA Today, Phil Steele)
- 2025 All-ACC First Team
- 2023 Freshman All-American
- Started all 12 games for Clemson in 2025
- Totaled 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks over 554 defensive snaps in 2025
- Added one pass breakup in 2025
- Contributed on offense with eight carries for 15 yards, two touchdowns and four first downs in 13 snaps
- Finished his career with 84 tackles (41 solo), 14.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 sacks in three years at Clemson.