Three Terrapin football players made the All-ACC first team. Senior guard C.J. Brooks received the honor for the second consecutive season. Junior linebacker D’Qwell Jackson and junior defensive end Shawne Merriman were first-time selections.
Jackson – the top vote getter among linebackers – led the ACC with 123 tackles. He was a second-team selection last season.
Merriman ranked tied for eighth in the conference in tackles, tied for second in sacks and tackles for loss and led the league in forced fumbles. With 20 career sacks, he is second in program history and needs two more to tie the all-time Terp mark.
Merriman’s return next season remains uncertain. He said he would take some time to evaluate his NFL prospects before making a decision.
Only Virginia (five) and Virginia Tech (four) had more first-team selections.
Senior cornerback Domonique Foxworth and sophomore punter Adam Podlesh were second-team selections. Senior safety Chris Kelley and senior placekicker Nick Novak received honorable mentions.
Novak – a two-time first team selection – finished his career as the ACC’s all-time leading scorer.
In his first year as a starter, Kelley tied with Merriman for second on the team in tackles. He is waiting to hear from the NCAA concerning his application for another year of eligibility. The Terps applied for the extra year because Kelley’s career was derailed by three torn ACLs.
