Rankins, a 6-2, 303-pound native of Covington, Ga., tied for the second-most votes received at defensive end, while Burgess, a 6-0, 229-pound native of Homestead, Fla., received the third-most votes of league linebackers.
The team was selected by a vote of 163 media members, many of whom attended theACC Football Kickoff earlier this week at Pinehurst Resort. Clemson leads all schools with five selections to the 2015 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team announced on Thursday.
A watch list selection for the Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski Award, Rankins has also received preseason all-ACC first team recognition from Phil Steele’s College Football Preview, this preseason. Rankins was named third team all-ACC last season in helping the Cardinals rank in the top-10 nationally against the run and in total defense. He posted a career-best 13.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 8.0 quarterback sacks. A starter in 13 games in 2014, Rankins totaled eight tackles and a sack in a win at FIU, and also had his first two career interceptions in wins over Wake Forest and Boston College.
Burgess, who was also selected to the Nagurski, Bednarik and Wuerffel Award, recorded 71 tackles from his linebacker position a year ago. Burgess has been a two-year starter for the Cardinals, totaling 71 tackles in each of those seasons. As a junior last season, Burgess was third on the team in tackles, recording a career-best 11 in a 23-17 loss at Clemson and 10 in the Belk Bowl defeat versus Georgia. He also registered 4.0 sacks and a career-best three interceptions. The Homestead High product has six career interceptions from his linebacker position, including two during his freshman season.
