Andersen and Claiborne Earns AP All-ACC Honors

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Multiple Wake Forest football players earned All-ACC recognition from the Associated Press, as announced by the organization on Monday afternoon.

Redshirt senior defensive back Nick Andersen and senior running back Demond Claiborne were named as AP All-ACC Team selections, marking the eighth time in the last nine years that multiple Deacs have been named to the teams.

In addition to earning AP All-ACC honors, Andersen and Claiborne players were also named to the official All-ACC team as voted on by media and coaches.

First Team
Nick Andersen - All-ACC (S)

Andersen has recorded 94 total tackles this season, which is tied for the third most in the ACC.

ACC Total Tackle Leaders

Name	School	Tackles
Caden Fordham	NC State	130
Matt Rose	Stanford	106
*Nick Andersen*	*Wake Forest*	94
KP Price	Boston College	94
Sammy Brown	Clemson	91
Ahmaad Moses	SMU	91

Andersen's 7.8 tackles per game rank fourth among all ACC defensive players.

ACC Tackles Per Game Leaders

Name	School	Tackles Per Game
Caden Fordham	NC State	10.8
Matt Rose	Stanford	8.8
Cade Uluave	Cal	8.2
*Nick Andersen*	*Wake Forest*	*7.8*
KP Price	Boston College	7.8

In addition, Andersen's 41 solo tackles are the ninth-most in the league this season.
Overall, in his Wake Forest career, Andersen has collected 357 total tackles, which ranks 10th in program history and is the second-most by a Demon Deacon since 2000:

Wake Forest Total Tackles Since 2000

Rank Total Tackles
1. Nick Andersen (2020-Pres.) 357
2. Ryan Smenda Jr. (2018-22) 355
3. Aaron Curry (2005-08) 332
4. Ryan Janvion (2013-16) 328
5. Brandon Chubb (2012-15) 326

Andersen currently holds the 12th-best defensive grade according to PFF among all safeties in college football with a career-best 89.5 PFF grade.
- The 89.5 defensive grade is the highest among ACC safeties.
- Andersen also sits ninth in the ACC (27th nationally) with an 88.9 coverage grade.

Second Team
Demond Claiborne - All-ACC (RB)

Demond Claiborne's 10 rushing touchdowns are tied for the fifth-most in the ACC and tied for fourth among ACC running backs.

ACC Rushing Touchdown Leaders

Name (Pos.)	School	Rushing Touchdowns
Haynes King (QB)	Georgia Tech	15
J'Mari Taylor (RB)	Virginia	14
Kendrick Raphael (RB)	Cal	12
Anderson Castle (RB)	Duke	11
*Demond Claiborne (RB)*	*Wake Forest*	10
Mark Fletcher Jr. (RB)	Miami	10

Additionally, Claiborne ranks third in the ACC in rushing yards, having totaled 812 yards (81.2 ypg) across the first 10 games this season.

ACC Rushing Yard Leaders

Name (Pos.)	School	Yards
J'Mari Taylor (RB)	Virginia	997
Hollywood Smothers (RB)	NC State	939
Haynes King (QB)	Georgia Tech	922
*Demond Claiborne (RB)*	*Wake Forest*	*907*
Nate Sheppard (RB)	Duke	865

Claiborne's 154 rushing attempts are the third-most in the league this season while his 5.3 yards per rush is fifth among players with more than 100 rushing attempts in the ACC.
Claiborne has amassed over 100 all-purpose yards four times this season:
- Nov. 15, 2025 vs. North Carolina - 110 APR (98 RUSH, 12 RCV)
- Oct. 11, 2025 at Oregon State - 170 APR (144 RUSH, 26 RCV)
- Sept. 27, 2025 vs. GT - 128 APR (119 RUSH, 9 RCV)
- Sept. 6, 2025 vs WCU - 191 APR (193 RUSH, -2 RCV, 0 KR)
Claiborne's 1,065 all-purpose yards (907 RUSH, 140 RCV, 18 RETURN) rank sixth among primary ACC running backs.

ACC All-Purpose Yards (RBs)

Name	School	RUSH	RCV	RETURN	APY
J'Mari Taylor	Virginia	997	219	20	1,236
Hollywood Smothers	NC State	939	189	0	1,128
Adam Randall	Clemson	779	246	182	1,207
Nate Sheppard	Duke	865	235	22	1,122
Kendrick Raphael	Cal	853	231	0	1.084
*Demond Claiborne*	*Wake Forest*	*907*	*140*	18	*1,065*

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