Sun Belt Football 2016 All-Conference Team
Matt Breida
Arkansas State, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State were the top three teams in the Sun Belt last season and open 2016 at the top of predictions for this conference. Considering the strong returning core of talent for the Red Wolves, Mountaineers and Eagles, it should be no surprise these three teams dominate the Athlon Sports 2016 All-Sun Belt team. The Red Wolves lead the way with 19 overall selections, with the Mountaineers checking in second with 16 picks. Georgia Southern and Georgia State are tied for third with 12 selections, with South Alabama (10) and Idaho (10) up next.
Athlon Sports released its full predictions for the Sun Belt last week. Now, it’s time to take a look at the best of the best and honor the top players in the league with a release of first, second, third and fourth all-conference teams for 2016.
Related: 2016 Sun Belt Predictions
An important note on the all-conference teams: These are based on how players will perform in 2016. Career statistics and awards matter in the evaluation, but choosing players for the 2016 all-conference team is largely based on predicting and projecting the best for the upcoming year.
2016 Sun Belt Team Previews
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Visit the Athlon Sports Online Store to order a copy of the 2016 National College Football Preview Magazine, which features in-depth analysis and previews for all 128 teams, predictions, rankings and features to prepare for the upcoming year.
Athlon's 2016 All-Sun Belt Team
| First-Team Offense | Second-Team Offense | Third-Team Offense | Fourth-Team Offense |
QB | Taylor Lamb App. State | Kevin Ellison Ga. Southern | Brandon Silvers Troy | Matt Linehan Idaho |
RB | Matt Breida Ga. Southern | Elijah McGuire ULL | L.A. Ramsby Ga. Southern | Jalin Moore App. State |
RB | Larry Rose NMSU | Xavier Johnson South Alabama | Johnston White Ark. State | Jordan Chunn Troy |
AP | Marcus Cox (RB) App. State | Callen Hightower Idaho | Cameron Echols-Luper Ark. State | Warren Wand (RB) Ark. State |
WR | Robert Davis Georgia State | Ajalen Holley ULM | Tyrian Taylor NMSU | Josh Magee South Alabama |
WR | Penny Hart Georgia State | Dijon Paschal Ark. State | Shaedon Meadors App. State | Marcus Green ULM |
TE | Gerald Everett South Alabama | Buck Cowan Idaho | Keith Rucker Georgia State | Deon Watson Idaho |
C | Andy Kwon Ga. Southern | Devin Mondie Ark. State | Steven Matlock Idaho | Eddie Gordon ULL |
OL | Jemar Clark Ark. State | Colby Gossett App. State | Jeremiah Culbreth Ga. Southern | Frank Sutton ULM |
OL | Parker Collins App. State | Ryan Melton Texas State | Alex Stoehr Georgia State | Gabe Mobley Georgia State |
OL | Antonio Garcia Troy | Beau Nunn App. State | Joseph Bacchus Ark. State | Curtis Williams South Alabama |
OL | Colton Jackson Ark. State | Jordan Rose Idaho | Anthony McMeans NMSU | Tommy Boynton Ga. Southern |
| First-Team Defense | Second-Team Defense | Third-Team Defense | Fourth-Team Defense |
DL | Rashad Dillard Troy | Tre Alford South Alabama | Waylon Roberson Ark. State | Mario Osborne ULL |
DL | Jay Ellison Ga. Southern | Bernard Dawson Ga. Southern | Jamal Stadom Troy | Mackendy Cheridor Georgia State |
DL | Dee Liner Ark. State | Shawayne Lawrence Georgia State | Jamal Johnson Ga. Southern | Tyson Fernandez App. State |
DL | Ja'Von Rolland-Jones Ark. State | Nate Norwood App. State | Dallas McClarty Texas State | Jimmie Gipson III South Alabama |
LB | Eric Boggs App. State | Ironhead Gallon Ga. Southern | Rodney Butler NMSU | Ukeme Eligwe Ga. Southern |
LB | John Law App. State | Alonzo McGee Georgia State | Roman Buchanan South Alabama | Devan Stringer App. State |
LB | Xavier Woodson-Luster Ark. State | Otha Peters ULL | Kaden Elliss Idaho | Khari Lain Ark. State |
CB | Latrell Gibbs* App. State | Chandon Sullivan Georgia State | Jayshawn Jordan Idaho | Lenzy Pipkins ULM |
CB | Jeremy Reaves South Alabama | Blaise Taylor Ark. State | Jerome Smith Georgia State | Kamryn Melton Troy |
S | Cody Brown Ark. State | Bobby Baker Georgia State | Alex Gray App. State | Tre Hunter ULM |
S | Kalen Jackson South Alabama | Savion Brown ULL | Tracy Walker ULL | Chris Humes Ark. State |
| First-Team Specialists | Second-Team Specialists | Third-Team Specialists | Fourth-Team Specialists |
K | Austin Rehkow Idaho | Aleem Sunanon South Alabama | J.D. Houston Ark. State | Younghoe Koo Ga. Southern |
P | Austin Rehkow Idaho | Bentlee Critcher App. State | Lumi Kaba Texas State | Steven Coutts ULL |
KR | Blaise Taylor Ark. State | Marquan Greene Georgia State | Marcus Green ULM | Gabe Fuselier ULL |
PR | Blaise Taylor Ark. State | Brandon McDowell Texas State | Gary Haynes ULL | Latrell Gibbs App. State |
Team-by-Team Breakdown of Athlon's 2016 All-Sun Belt Team
| First | Second | Third | Fourth |
Appalachian State | Offense: 3 Defense: 3 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 1 |
Arkansas State | Offense: 2 Defense: 4 Sp. Teams: 2 | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 3 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 1 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 |
Georgia State | Offense: 2 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 4 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 |
Georgia Southern | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 |
Idaho | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 2 | Offense: 3 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 |
UL Lafayette | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 2 |
ULM | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 2 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 |
New Mexico State | Offense: 1 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 |
South Alabama | Offense: 1 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 0 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 |
Texas State | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 0 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 |
Troy | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 |
* Gibbs was later ruled academically ineligible for the 2016 season in early July.
