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Top former ACC players available in the transfer portal

Jahmal Banks
Jahmal Banks (© Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports)

The ACC had more than 120 players enter the transfer portal, and many have already picked colleges, but here are six remaining who could be instant impact performers.

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WR JAHMAL BANKS

Banks has proven to be a big hit in the transfer portal. Banks is looking at Nebraska, Michigan, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Minnesota and others.

The lanky 6-foot-4, 205-pound Banks led Wake Forest with 59 catches for 653 yards and four touchdowns. He caught 42 passes for 636 yards and nine scores in 2022. Banks’ best ACC game this season was his last, catching seven passes for 90 yards and a score in a 35-31 loss at Syracuse. He torched Clemson a year ago with six catches for a career-high 141 yards and two scores in a 51-45 double-overtime loss.

Banks was a three-star prospect coming out of Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances in the class of 2020. He was ranked the No. 34 overall prospect in Maryland.

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Elijah Green
Elijah Green (© Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Green missed this past year with an injury, but it hasn’t slowed down programs such as South Carolina and Georgia Tech from going after him.

The 5-foot-11, 210-pound Green will have two years of eligibility remaining. Green emerged as North Carolina's top back in 2022 after Caleb Hood got injured. He rushed 131 times for 558 yards and eight touchdowns, and caught 17 receptions for 107 yards and a score a year ago. Green rushed for more than 83 yards in three games in 2022.

Green was a three-star prospect coming out of Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity in the class of 2020. He was the No. 33 running back in the country by Rivals.com.

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Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson (© Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports)

Johnson proved to be a valued defender for Duke.

Johnson attended Newton-Conover High in Newton, N.C., and had 111 tackles, 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions the last two years. He finished with 56 tackles, two sacks and four passes broken up this past fall.

Johnson was a two-star prospect in the 2021 class, and he had 44 tackles and three interceptions his senior year. He was named all-state in North Carolina, and also was gifted in track and field.

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George Pettaway
George Pettaway (© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Pettaway looked like he was going to grab a role his freshman year in 2022, but that didn’t materialize.

He rushed 20 times for 93 yards and two touchdowns, and added five receptions for 21 yards. He also handled kickoff duties with seven kickoff returns for 221 yards.

Pettaway elected to redshirt this season and has three years of eligibility remaining. Pettaway was ranked No. 90 overall by Rivals.com in the class of 2022 coming out Suffolk (Va.) Nansemond Suffolk Academy.

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Jaylen Stinson (2)
Jaylen Stinson (2) (© Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

Stinson is poised to make an impact on defense and also special teams if called upon. The 5-foot-8, 177-pound Stinson has started the last two years, and half the season in 2021, for the Blue Devils. He had 88 tackles, one interception, one sack and six passes defended, and played in the bowl game against Troy.

Stinson has 211 tackles (117 solo), plus nine passes defended, two sacks and three interceptions. He had 34 kick returns for 818 yards and two scores en route to honorable mention All-ACC honors in 2021.

Stinson was a Rivals.com three-star prospect in the class of 2020 coming out of Opelika (Ala.) High.

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Dae'Quan Wright
Dae'Quan Wright (© Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports)

Wright is one of the top tight ends in the portal. The 6-foot-4, 249-pounder caught 28 passes for 366 yards this season, and ended his two-year career with Virginia Tech after catching 47 passes for 574 yards.

Wright caught four passes in four different games this past season, including four catches for 77 yards in a 24-17 loss against Purdue on Sept. 9.

Wright was projected to be a wide receiver coming out of Perry (Ga.) High. He was a three-star prospect with seven scholarship offers.

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