Wolfpack Earns Four All-ACC Honors, Wilson Named to First Team
11/28/2023 5:00:00 PM | Football
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Four NC State Football team members have earned All-ACC accolades for the 2023 season, highlighted by Payton Wilson earning first-team honors, the conference annouced Tuesday evening.
Joining Wilson is wide receiver Kevin "KC" Concepcion on the All-ACC Second Team and seeing All-ACC Third Team recognition is offensive tackle Anthony Belton and cornerback Aydan White.
For Wilson, it is the second time in his career that he has been named to the All-ACC first team after earning the recognition in 2020. White earns back-to-back All-ACC recognition after being named first-team last season, and Concepcion earns his first ACC honor in his freshman season.
Wilson earlier Tuesday was named a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and also finds himself a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award for the top defensive player in the nation.
Wilson, who led all first-team players with 184 votes, was named ACC linebacker of the month five times, the most by any player at that position. He has led the Wolfpack in tackles in 10 of 12 games this season, totaling 138 to lead the conference, 17 more than the next closest player. Wilson also leads the conference in tackles for loss with 17.5.
Concepcion had three 100-yard receiving games this season and following the Wolfpack win against UNC, his totals in the win made him the only player in the FBS with 750+ receiving yards and 250+ rushing yards this season. He's the first FBS player to do that since 2021 and the first ACC player since 2015.
He ranks second in the ACC in TD receptions with 10 – the top mark in the FBS for a freshman (t14th overall). The true freshman ranks third in the ACC in receptions per game (64 total receptions) and ranks second nationally among freshmen.
Belton and White represented the Pack on the All-ACC third team. White has been a lock down corner all season, playing in 11 games totaling 32 tackles, nine pass breaks ups, including a career-high three against Wake Forest, and two interceptions this season to give him eight in his career to lead the Wolfpack defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, Belton started all 12 games for the Wolfpack playing in 837 snaps. In his third season with the Wolfpack, Belton has had season bests in knockdowns with six and pancakes with 48.
Seven Wolfpack student-athletes also earned Honorable-Mention accolades – offensive guard Timothy McKay, center Dylan McMahon, defensive end Davin Vann, linebacker Jaylon Scott, corner back Shyheim Battle, safety Devan Boykin, and long snapper Joe Shimko.
First-Team All-ACC
Payton Wilson, LB
Second-Team All-ACC
Kevin "KC" Concepcion, WR
Third-Team All-ACC
Anthony Belton, OT
Aydan White, CB
Honorable-Mention All-ACC
Timothy McKay, OG
Dylan McMahon, C
Davin Vann, DE
Jaylon Scott, LB
Shyheim Battle, CB
Devan Boykin, S
Joe Shimko, LS
Joining Wilson is wide receiver Kevin "KC" Concepcion on the All-ACC Second Team and seeing All-ACC Third Team recognition is offensive tackle Anthony Belton and cornerback Aydan White.
For Wilson, it is the second time in his career that he has been named to the All-ACC first team after earning the recognition in 2020. White earns back-to-back All-ACC recognition after being named first-team last season, and Concepcion earns his first ACC honor in his freshman season.
Wilson earlier Tuesday was named a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and also finds himself a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award for the top defensive player in the nation.
Wilson, who led all first-team players with 184 votes, was named ACC linebacker of the month five times, the most by any player at that position. He has led the Wolfpack in tackles in 10 of 12 games this season, totaling 138 to lead the conference, 17 more than the next closest player. Wilson also leads the conference in tackles for loss with 17.5.
Concepcion had three 100-yard receiving games this season and following the Wolfpack win against UNC, his totals in the win made him the only player in the FBS with 750+ receiving yards and 250+ rushing yards this season. He's the first FBS player to do that since 2021 and the first ACC player since 2015.
He ranks second in the ACC in TD receptions with 10 – the top mark in the FBS for a freshman (t14th overall). The true freshman ranks third in the ACC in receptions per game (64 total receptions) and ranks second nationally among freshmen.
Belton and White represented the Pack on the All-ACC third team. White has been a lock down corner all season, playing in 11 games totaling 32 tackles, nine pass breaks ups, including a career-high three against Wake Forest, and two interceptions this season to give him eight in his career to lead the Wolfpack defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, Belton started all 12 games for the Wolfpack playing in 837 snaps. In his third season with the Wolfpack, Belton has had season bests in knockdowns with six and pancakes with 48.
Seven Wolfpack student-athletes also earned Honorable-Mention accolades – offensive guard Timothy McKay, center Dylan McMahon, defensive end Davin Vann, linebacker Jaylon Scott, corner back Shyheim Battle, safety Devan Boykin, and long snapper Joe Shimko.
First-Team All-ACC
Payton Wilson, LB
Second-Team All-ACC
Kevin "KC" Concepcion, WR
Third-Team All-ACC
Anthony Belton, OT
Aydan White, CB
Honorable-Mention All-ACC
Timothy McKay, OG
Dylan McMahon, C
Davin Vann, DE
Jaylon Scott, LB
Shyheim Battle, CB
Devan Boykin, S
Joe Shimko, LS
Players Mentioned
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