The ACC sent 35 players onto the 2011 NFL Draft's list of picks, owning the second round after coming up very short in the first. That's three shy of the SEC, but still a very good overall showing and good enough for second place among all conferences. How many did each school turn out?
The North Carolina Tar Heels led the way with nine players taken, followed by the Miami Hurricanes (eight), Clemson Tigers (six), Florida St. Seminoles (three), Virginia Tech Hokies (three), Maryland Terrapins (two), Boston College Eagles (one), N.C. State Wolfpack (one), Virginia Cavaliers (one) and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (one). The Duke Blue Devils and Wake Forest Demon Deacons were shut out, as it's lacrosse recruiting season or something.
Christian Ponder, Robert Quinn and Anthony Castonzo were the only first-rounders, followed by a deluge led by Ras-I Dowling in the second. Perhaps the conference's best player, Da'Quan Bowers, lasted all the way til the middle of the second due to injury concerns and a questionable workout season.
The complete list of 2011 NFL Draft picks from the ACC:
Allen, Anthony RB 6'1" 228 Georgia Tech Pick 22, Round 7 (225) Ravens
Austin, Marvin DL 6'2" 309 North Carolina Pick 20, Round 2 (52) Giants
Bailey, Allen DL 6'3" 285 Miami Pick 22, Round 3 (86) Chiefs
Bosher, Matt K 6'1" 208 Miami Pick 27, Round 6 (192) Falcons
Bowers, Da'Quan DE 6'3" 280 Clemson Pick 19, Round 2 (51) Buccaneers
Carmichael, Rashad DB 5'10" 192 Virginia Tech Pick 30, Round 4 (127) Texans
Carter, Bruce LB 6'2" 241 North Carolina Pick 8, Round 2 (40) Cowboys
Castonzo, Anthony OL 6'7" 311 Boston College Pick 22, Round 1 (22) Colts
Dowling, Ras-I DB 6'1" 198 Virginia Pick 1, Round 2 (33) Patriots
Franklin, Orlando OL 6'6" 316 Miami Pick 14, Round 2 (46) Broncos
Gilchrist, Marcus DB 5'10" 195 Clemson Pick 18, Round 2 (50) Chargers
Gordon, Richard TE -- -- Miami Pick 16, Round 6 (181) Raiders
Hairston, Chris OL 6'6" 326 Clemson Pick 25, Round 4 (122) Bills
Hankerson, Leonard WR 6'2" 209 Miami Pick 15, Round 3 (79) Redskins
Harper, Jamie RB 5'11" 233 Clemson Pick 33, Round 4 (130) Titans
Harris, Brandon DB 5'10" 191 Miami Pick 28, Round 2 (60) Texans
Hudson, Rodney OL 6'2" 299 Florida St. Pick 23, Round 2 (55) Chiefs
Irving, Nate LB 6'1" 240 N.C. State Pick 3, Round 3 (67) Broncos
Jenkins, Jarvis DL 6'4" 310 Clemson Pick 9, Round 2 (41) Redskins
Little, Greg WR 6'3" 220 North Carolina Pick 27, Round 2 (59) Browns
Maxwell, Byron DB 6'0" 202 Clemson Pick 8, Round 6 (173) Seahawks
McCarthy, Colin LB 6'1" 238 Miami Pick 12, Round 4 (109) Titans
Ponder, Christian QB 6'2" 229 Florida St. Pick 12, Round 1 (12) Vikings
Quinn, Robert DE 6'4" 265 North Carolina Pick 14, Round 1 (14) Rams
Scott, Da'Rel RB 5'11" 211 Maryland Pick 18, Round 7 (221) Giants
Searcy, Da'Norris DB 5'11" 223 North Carolina Pick 3, Round 4 (100) Bills
Smith, Torrey WR 6'1" 204 Maryland Pick 26, Round 2 (58) Ravens
Sturdivant, Quan LB 6'1" 241 North Carolina Pick 6, Round 6 (171) Cardinals
Taylor, Ryan TE -- -- North Carolina Pick 15, Round 7 (218) Packers
Taylor, Tyrod QB 6'1" 217 Virginia Tech Pick 15, Round 6 (180) Ravens
Van Dyke, Demarcus DB 6'1" 176 Miami Pick 17, Round 3 (81) Raiders
White, Johnny RB 5'10" 209 North Carolina Pick 2, Round 5 (133) Bills
White, Markus DE 6'4" 266 Florida St. Pick 21, Round 7 (224) Redskins
Williams, Ryan RB 5'9" 212 Virginia Tech Pick 6, Round 2 (38) Cardinals
Yates, Taylor QB 6'3" 219 North Carolina Pick 21, Round 5 (152) Texans
We have more on the Falcons' first three rounds and on how SEC and ACC players fared in the first three rounds. For national coverage, check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub and our NFL Draft blog Mocking the Draft. For more Atlanta Falcons draft discussion, join The Falcoholic.