Stardom seems inevitable for some of the ACC's emerging players, like North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky, Florida State's Deondre Francois and Clemson's Dexter Lawrence. But there are plenty of other breakout candidates floating a bit beneath the radar. We asked the league's coaches to name their favorite candidates, and here's our list of breakout performers on defense.

Duke linebacker Ben Humphreys

Entering his ninth season at Duke, head coach David Cutcliffe said this year's linebacking crew is the most talented he's had. That's impressive given some of the names who've come through the program in recent years. At the head of this season's class is sophomore Ben Humphreys, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound tackling machine from California. Humphreys got two starts as a freshman last year, but he's in line for the starting middle linebacker job in 2016, and Cutcliffe said Humphreys could be an All-ACC performer by year's end. “He is a great athlete and his knowledge of the game, his ability to diagnose and immediately react, makes him special,” Cutcliffe said. “He gets off the spot in a hurry and people are going to see he can really really run.”

Pitt defensive end Dewayne Hendrix

A transfer from Tennessee, Hendrix was forced to sit out last season under NCAA transfer rules. This year, however, he'll be a big part of what coach Pat Narduzzi believes can be one of the best defensive lines in the ACC. At 6-4, 270 pounds, Hendrix looks the part -- far more than his pass-rushing teammate Ejuan Price. More importantly, perhaps, he's proven exceedingly coachable. “For a younger guy,” Price said, “his willingness to learn is very strong. He's going to be a highly rated guy.” Narduzzi has worked to downplay the pressure on Hendrix to emerge immediately, but he said “there's no doubt about it” that Hendrix will make an impact this season. Add to that the fact that Narduzzi sees big gains from defensive tackles Shakir Soto (6-3, 295) and Tyrique Jarrett (6-3, 356), and the Panthers' line should be impressive.

Clemson linebacker Dorian O'Daniel

According to Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, O'Daniel was one of the stars of the offseason for the Tigers, culminating with a 4.45 time in the 40-yard dash. In other words, O'Daniel is a tremendous athlete who's ready to turn the corner on the field. He'll step into some big shoes vacated by B.J. Goodson (108 tackles in 2015), a job he filled versus Georgia Tech last year that resulted in 10 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. And with Auburn up first on the 2016 slate, O'Daniel should have a shot to prove himself right off the bat.

Georgia Tech safety A.J. Gray

Last season, Gray was among the multitudes of youngsters getting playing time for Georgia Tech before they were ready, but Paul Johnson is convinced the growing pains will be worth the results. No member of the Yellow Jackets defense impressed more this spring than Gray, who Johnson said “has the opportunity to be one of the all-time great players at Georgia Tech.” That's a lofty goal, but Gray -- a former Parade All-American -- has the athleticism to thrive in Ted Roof's defense, and if his fall camp demonstrates as much progress as spring practice did, he could be an All-ACC candidate by year's end.

North Carolina linebacker Jonathan Smith

Two things Larry Fedora is certain about when it comes to his linebackers: They're going to be very inexperienced and they're going to be very talented. Smith fits that bill perfectly, but Fedora got to see plenty of the true freshman this spring as injuries forced him into routine reps with the No. 1 defense at middle linebacker. “He's more talented than [Jeff] Schoettmer,” Fedora said, comparing Smith to last year's starter at the position. It's just a matter of how quickly Smith adapts. If the transition is smooth, UNC could have a powerful run-stopper it desperately needed down the stretch a year ago. Teammates Andre Smith and Cayson Collins could also make this list as potential breakout players, too.

Wake Forest safety Jessie Bates

With three-year starting safety Ryan Janvion out this spring, Dave Clawson got a long look at some of his younger options at the position, and he loved what he saw. Cameron Glenn looked sharp and Josh Okonye showed improvement, but Bates -- a redshirt freshman -- stood out to Clawson. He's an instinctive player who's had a year to get into shape for the level of competition he'll see in the ACC. If Bates steps into a starting role, he could post impressive numbers in a secondary that should take a big step forward with Janvion and cornerback Brad Watson returning.

Others to watch: Virginia Tech defensive tackle Tim Settle, Clemson cornerback Mark Fields, Florida State linebackers Matthew Thomas and Josh Sweat, Miami linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, Wake Forest defensive end Duke Ejiofor.