Virginia Tech Cornerback Dorian Strong Lands in ACC Top 25 Players List
The ACC Digital Network has slowly been revealing the ACC Top 25, an annual list compiled by ACCDN which showcases some of the best players in the conference. With every day, a new player is revealed. With every new player, the ACC Digital Network interviews that player’s teammates, coaches, etc.
Today’s player was cornerback Dorian Strong. Strong was listed as the 14th best player in the ACC, finding himself ahead of Jasheen Davis (15), Quincy Riley (16), and Aeneas Peebles (17). Strong was the second player from Virginia Tech to make the list, with a notable omission of Antwaun Powell-Ryland, but it’s still possible that Ryland makes the list.
In his portion of the video, head coach Brent Pry praised Strong, “Dorian Strong has a tremendous skill set for his position. But, he’s also one of the best technicians I’ve been around.”
ACC Digital Network highlighted some of Dorian Strong’s stats with the most notable being his 27.3% completion rate allowed, which lands him first among all FBS cornerbacks.
Strong had his fair share to say about his coverage as well, “Makes me one of the best players in the country, I’m a true pure lockdown corner. I feel like you could match me up with anybody anywhere on the field. I’m a man-to-man corner, I love to play man, I’d take a zone here and there, but I’m man-to-man, a true competitor, and I don’t want any catches allowed on me.”
Strong was a pure lockdown corner last year, finishing with three interceptions, eleven pass breakups, and the lowest completion rate allowed in the country. Strong is very reminiscent of a prime Marlin Humphrey, a corner known for not allowing completions when you throw his way.
Some other Hokies players had high praise for Dorian Strong too. Here’s what Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones had to say, “Dorian, he deserves to be one of the top-ten cornerbacks in the country. I’m really excited for him, and this year I know he’s getting the job done to take it to the next level.”
Antwaun Powell-Ryland had some similar things to say, “Yeah, he’s a lockdown corner, man. He works every day, perfects his craft every day, and [you] should definitely see him making a big splash this season.”
Strong is frankly the best man-to-man corner in the ACC, and is one of the best overall coverage cornerbacks in the conference. This ranking just solidifies that, he’s covered current and future NFL talent and held his own, and Strong will certainly hear his name called in the NFL Draft.
For now, he’s focused on help lead the Hokies’ defense to an ACC Championship, and if Brent Pry and Chris Marve can rely on Dorian Strong, there’s no saying how good the defense could be this year.
RJ SCHAFER
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.