Sanker named to All-ACC First Team; 4 other Hoos honored

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

For the second consecutive season, Virginia safety Jonas Sanker has been named First Team All-ACC, following a vote by 54 media members and each of the league’s 17 head coaches.

Additionally, wideout Malachi Fields nabbed third-team honors, while linebacker Kam Robinson, center Brian Stevens and punter Daniel Sparks were all named to the honorable mention list.

Three points were awarded for each first-team vote, two points for each second-team vote, and one point for each third-team selection. 

Sanker started in all 12 games and finished the regular season as the ACC’s leader in solo tackles (66) and fifth in tackles per game (8.2). In addition to his 98 total tackles, he led all UVA players this season with 8.5 tackles for loss.

Sanker also led or co-led the Cavaliers in tackles in four games this season. He was named the ACC’s Defensive Back of the Week four times, the only UVA defensive player to ever accomplish that feat in a single season.

The Charlottesville native dazzled in UVA’s ACC wins over Wake Forest, Boston College and Pitt. In a 31-30 comeback road win over the Demon Deacons, he tallied 10 tackles, including seven solo, and logged his first career sack.

Against BC, Sanker scored his first career touchdown on a 40-yard fumble return in the fourth quarter and recorded six tackles. In Virginia’s 24-19 win at then-No. 23 Pitt, he blocked a field goal and came up with his second career interception, which he returned for 45 yards to set up what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. Sanker is both a Reese’s Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl invitee. 

A 2023 All-ACC honorable mention, Fields finished the regular season eighth among ACC pass catchers in both total receiving yards (808) and yards per game (67.3). He started in all 12 contests and tallied a team-high five touchdowns from scrimmage this season.

Fields also recorded three 100-receiving-yard games this season, including a signature performance in the Cavaliers’ win at Wake, where he finished with career highs in both receiving yards (148) and receptions (11). In 36 games played, Fields racked up 1,849 career receiving yards to conclude his UVA tenure No. 9 all-time on the program’s career receiving yards list.

He’s also tied for 10th on UVA’s all-time receptions list with 55. Fields rounded out his career having caught at least one pass in his last 27 games. Like Sanker, Fields is also a Reese’s Senior Bowl invitee. 

Robinson, who was one of two linebackers featured on Pro Football Focus’ All-Freshman Team last year, led the Cavaliers and in sacks (5) and finished second on the team in total tackles (64).

He recorded a season-high nine tackles, including one sack, and a forced fumble in UVA’s final game at Virginia Tech.

Robinson either led or co-led the Hoos in tackles in three games this season, including when he had eight takedowns with a sack in UVA’s win over BC. 

Stevens garners his second consecutive All-ACC honorable mention nod after starting at center in all of his 11 appearances.

He sported the fifth-best run blocking grade (68.8) among all ACC centers, according to Pro Football Focus. One of his best performances of the season was against Maryland when he registered a pass-block grade of 84.0, which was seventh best among all FBS centers in week 3.

The following week at Coastal Carolina, Stevens and the Cavaliers’ offense rushed for 384 yards, the program’s highest rushing output in a game since 1998.  

Sparks finished the regular season fourth in the ACC and 21st among all FBS players in average yards per punt (44.6). This season, he booted 14 punts that were downed inside the opposing 20-yard line.

For his career, Sparks has 15 punts of at least 60 yards, including four this past season. In 2022, he was named a Second Team All-ACC selection to become the ninth Cavalier punter in program history to earn All-ACC honors.

2024 All-ACC Football Teams
First-Team All-ACC
Offense
QB – Cam Ward – Miami (207)
RB – Omarion Hampton – North Carolina (207)
RB – Brashard Smith – SMU (163)
WR – Xaver Restrepo – Miami (205)
WR – Ja’Corey Brooks – Louisville (196)
WR – Antonio Williams – Clemson (117)
TE – Oronde Gadsden II – Syracuse (178)
AP – Desmond Reid – Pitt (122)
OT – Blake Miller – Clemson (98)
OT – Ozzy Trapilo – Boston College (96)
OG – Willie Lampkin – North Carolina (133)
OG – Keylan Rutledge – Georgia Tech (84)
C – Drew Kendall – Boston College (85)

Defense
DE – Donovan Ezeiruaku – Boston College (188)
DE – Antwaun Powell-Ryland – Virginia Tech (169)
DT – Aeneas Peebles – Virginia Tech (108)
DT – Simeon Barrow, Jr. – Miami (91) (tie)
DT – Jared Harrison-Hunte – SMU (91) tie
LB – Kyle Louis – Pitt (150)
LB – Barrett Carter – Clemson (132)
LB – Teddye Buchanan – California (128)
CB – Nohl Williams – California (187)
CB – Chandler Rivers – Duke (139)
S – Jonas Sanker – Virginia (102)
S- Isaiah Nwokobia – SMU (97)

Specialists
PK – Andy Borregales – Miami (123)
P – Alex Mastromanno – Florida State (186)
SP – Desmond Reid – Pitt (120)

Second-Team All-ACC
Offense
QB – Kyle McCord – Syracuse (92)
RB – Bhayshul Tuten – Virginia Tech (134)
RB – Isaac Brown – Louisville (88)
WR – Trebor Pena – Syracuse (115)
WR – Jackson Meeks – Syracuse (110)
WR – Elic Ayomanor – Stanford (101)
TE – Elijah Arroyo – Miami (64)
AP – Omarion Hampton – North Carolina (81)
OT – Brian Parker – Duke (95)
OT – Francis Mauigoa – Miami (90)
OG – Caleb Kings – Duke (68)
OG – Marcus Tate – Clemson (65)
C – Jakai Clark – SMU (64)

Defense
DE – T.J. Parker – Clemson (102)
DE – Ashton Gillotte – Louisville (54)
DT – Jordan van den Berg – Georgia Tech (53)
DT – Kendy Charles – Duke (46)
LB – Kobe Wilson – SMU (88)
LB – Francisco Mauigoa – Miami (76)
LB – Branson Combs – Wake Forest (65)
CB – Avieon Terrell – Clemson (101)
CB – Quincy Riley – Louisville (79)
S – Terry Moore – Duke (86)
S – Mishael Powell – Miami (82) tie
S – Donovan McMillon – Pitt (82) tie

Specialists
PK – Ryan Fitzgerald – Florida State (96)
P – Lachlan Wilson – California (67)
SP – Alex Mastromanno – Florida State (81)

Third-Team All-ACC
Offense
QB – Kevin Jennings – SMU (53)
RB – Phil Mafah – Clemson (74)
RB- Demond Claiborne – Wake Forest (48)
WR – Malachi Fields – Virginia (78)
WR – Jordan Moore – Duke (68)
WR – Eli Pancol – Duke (60)
TE – Jake Briningstool – Clemson (47)
AP – Demond Claiborne – Wake Forest (60)
OT – PJ Williams – SMU (83)
OT – Jordan Williams – Georgia Tech (61)
OG – Logan Parr – SMU (63)
OG – Walker Parks – Clemson (56)
C – Zeke Correll – NC State (50)

Defense
DE – Xavier Carlton – California (53)
DE – Darin Vann – NC State (38)
DT – Payton Page – Clemson (41)
DT – Cam Horsley – Boston College (40) tie
DT – Jahvaree Ritzie – North Carolina (40) tie
LB – Rasheem Biles – Pitt (63)
LB – Ozzie Nicholas – Duke (52)
LB – Kyle Efford – Georgia Tech (47)
CB – Clarence Lewis – Syracuse (56)
CB – Mansoor Delane – Virginia Tech (50)
S – Nick Andersen – Wake Forest (64)
S – Craig Woodson – California (54)

Specialists
PK – Ben Sauls – Pitt (91)
P – Peter Moore – Virginia Tech (55)
SP – Jaylin Lane – Virginia Tech (64)

Honorable -Mention All-ACC
QB – Cade Klubnik – Clemson (44)
QB – Tyler Shough – Louisville (16)
RB – LeQuint Allen – Syracuse (44)
RB – Desmond Reid – Pitt (33)
RB – Jamal Haynes – Georgia Tech (28)
RB – Damien Martinez – Miami (17)
WR – Konata Mumpfield – Pitt (36)
WR – Jacolby George – Miami (31)
WR – Taylor Morin – Wake Forest (29)
WR – Malik Rutherford – Georgia Tech (22)
WR – Eric Singleton, Jr. – Georgia Tech (20)
WR – Keyshawn Smith, SMU (19)
WR – Lewis Bond, Boston College (18)
TE – Jack Endries – California (29)
TE – Gavin Bartholomew – Pitt (27)
TE – RJ Maryland – SMU (17)
AP – LeQuint Allen – Syracuse (47)
AP – Isaac Brown – Louisville (33)
AP – Nohl Williams – California (26)
AP – Roderick Daniels Jr. – SMU (24)
OT – Corey Robinson II – Georgia Tech (55)
OT – Monroe Mills – Louisville (50)
OT – Tristan Leigh – Clemson (42)
OT – Jalen Rivers – Miami (41)
OT – Xavier Chaplin – Virginia Tech (32)
OT – Savion Washington – Syracuse (28)
OT – Howard Sampson – North Carolina (21)
OG – Justin Osborne – SMU (55)
OG – Anez Cooper – Miami (48)\
OG – Michael Gonzalez – Louisville (46)
OG – Kaden Moore – Virginia Tech (35)|
OG – Matt Gulbin – Wake Forest (35)
OG – Jack Conley – Boston College (32)
OG – Jakob Bradford – Syracuse (27)
OG – Logan Taylor – Boston College (25)
OG – Timothy McKay – NC State (25)
C – Zach Carpenter – Miami (36)
C – Weston Franklin – Georgia Tech (36)
C – Pete Nygra – Louisville (34)
C – Ryan Linthicum – Clemson (30)
C – Brian Stevens – Virginia (27)
C – Luke Petitbon – Wake Forest (21)
DE – Fadil Diggs – Syracuse (32)
DE – Wes Williams – Duke (31)
DE – Peter Woods – Clemson (27)
DE – Tyler Baron – Miami (24)
DE – Elijah Roberts – SMU (23)
DE – Rueben Bain, Jr. – Miami (18)
DT – Zeek Biggers – Georgia Tech (32)
DT – Kevin Pointer – Wake Forest (31)
DT – Joshua Farmer – Florida State (30)
DT – Ramon Puryear – Louisville (29)
DT – DeMonte Capehart – Clemson (27)
DT – Aaron Hall – Duke (25)
DT – Akheem Mesidor – Miami (25)
DT – Kori Roberson Jr. – SMU (24)
DT – Darrell Jackson Jr. – Florida State (24)
DT – Nick James – Pitt (23)
LB – Ahmad Walker – SMU (46)
LB – Wade Woodaz – Clemson (45)
LB – Xavier Carlton – California (43)
LB – Justin Barron – Syracuse (40)
LB – Power Echols – North Carolina (35)
LB – Stanquan Clark – Louisville (29)
LB – Marlowe Wax – Syracuse (27)
LB – Cade Uluave – California (26)
LB – Sean Brown – NC State (23)
LB – Alex Howard – Duke (23)
LB – Tre Freeman – Duke (18)
LB – Kam Robinson – Virginia (18)
CB – Dorian Strong – Virginia Tech (46)
CB – OJ Frederique – Miami (26)
CB – Alijah Huzzie – North Carolina (25)
CB – Corey Thornton – Louisville (25)
CB – Brandon Crossley – SMU (23)
CB – Azareye’h Thomas – Florida State (20)
S – R.J. Mickens – Clemson (52)
S – Ahmaad Moses – SMU (36)
S – Jaylen Stinson – Duke (33)
S – Jonathan McGill – SMU (31)
S – Bishop Fitzgerald – NC State (27)
S – Khalil Barnes – Clemson (22)
PK – Collin Rogers – SMU (54)
PK – John Love – Virginia Tech (23)
PK – Brock Travelstead – Louisville (19)
P – Jack Stonehouse – Syracuse (53)
P – Kade Reynoldson – Duke (35)
P – Daniel Sparks – Virginia (17)
SP – Antonio Williams – Clemson (45)
SP – Alijah Huzzie – North Carolina (41)
SP – Collin Rogers – SMU (35)
SP – Que’Sean Brown – Duke (28)