JONESBORO, Ark. (7/22/24) – Including three first-team and six second-team selections, the Arkansas State football team has placed a league-high nine selections on the 2024 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team.
Representing Arkansas State on the first team were senior offensive lineman Jacob Bayer, junior offensive lineman Makilan Thomas and senior defensive lineman Nate Martey.
Earning a spot on the second team for the Red Wolves were sophomore quarterback Jaylen Raynor, junior running back Ja'Quezz Cross, senior wide receiver Courtney Jackson, junior wide receiver Corey Rucker, senior linebacker Charles Willekes and Cross as the all-purpose back.
A-State's nine selections tied Appalachian State and Georgia Southern for the most in the conference. It is the most preseason selections for the Red Wolves since having 11 in 2019. A-State was picked to finish fourth in the Sun Belt's West Division according to the league's preseason coaches' poll, which was also announced Monday.
Texas State followed A-State, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern with eight preseason all-conference selections, while James Madison and Louisiana had five, South Alabama and Troy three each, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State and Old Dominion two each and Marshall one. App State senior quarterback Joey Aguilar and Old Dominion senior linebacker Jason Henderson were named the Sun Belt's Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively.
The Red Wolves are coming off a bowl-game appearance for the first time since 2019 and announced 36 players as part of its 2024 recruiting class that ranked first in the Sun Belt Conference. A-State returns 15 starters, 10 on offense and five on defense, and a total of 55 letterwinners.
A-State will appear at Sun Belt Conference Media Days on Wednesday, July 24, in New Orleans. Season tickets may be purchased by calling the Red Wolves Foundation at 870-972-2401 or online by visiting AStateRedWolves.com/Tickets.
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Joey Aguilar, App State (Sr., QB – Antioch, Calif.)
 
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Sr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense^
QB – Joey Aguilar, App State (Sr., QB – Antioch, Calif.)
QB – Jordan McCloud, Texas State (RS Sr., QB – Tampa, Fla.)
RB – Jalen White, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., RB – Daleville, Ala.)
RB – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., RB – Murphy, Texas)
OL – Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State (Sr., OL – Grandview, Texas)
OL – Makilan Thomas, Arkansas State (RS Jr., OL – Little Rock, Ark.)
OL – Cole Potts, James Madison (Sr., OL – Johnstown, Ohio)
OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Natchitoches, La.)
OL – Daniel King, Troy (Sr., OL – Cairo, Ga.)
TE –  Eli Wilson, App State (Sr., TE – Piedmont, S.C.)
WR – Kaedin Robinson, App State (RS Sr., WR – Asheville, N.C.)
WR – Derwin Burgess Jr., Georgia Southern (Sr., WR – Riverdale, Ga.)
WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State (Sr., WR – San Clemente, Calif.)
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Santana Hopper, App State (RS So., DL – Shelby, N.C.)
DL – Nate Martey, Arkansas State (Sr., DL – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
DL – Justin Rhodes, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., DL – Durham, N.C.)
DL – Isaac Walker, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DL – Greensboro, N.C.)
LB – Nate Johnson, App State (So., LB – Gaffney, S.C.)
LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)
LB – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Sr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
LB – Ben Bell, Texas State (Sr., LB – Cedar Park, Texas)
DB – Jordan Favors, App State (RS Jr., DB – Griffin, Ga.)
DB – Ethan Johnson, App State (Jr., DB – Huntersville, N.C.)
DB – Gavin Pringle, Georgia State (RS Sr., DB – Baltimore, Md.) 
DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama (RS Sr., DB – Crestview, Fla.)
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Mason Shipley, Texas State (RS Jr., K – Liberty Hill, Texas)
P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison (RS Sr., P – Elgin, Texas)
RS – Zylan Perry, Louisiana (RS So., RS – Franklin, La.)
AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., AP – Murphy, Texas)
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense^
QB – Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State (So., QB – Kernersville, N.C.)
RB – Kanye Roberts, App State (RS So., RB – Wallace, N.C.)
RB – Ja'Quez Cross, Arkansas State (RS Jr., RB – Hampton, Ark.)
OL – Chandler Strong, Georgia Southern (RS So., OL – Warner Robins, Ga.)
OL – Pichon Wimbley, Georgia Southern (Jr., OL – Newnan, Ga.) 
OL – Tyshawn Wyatt, James Madison (Sr., OL – Richmond, Va.)
OL – Logan Osburn, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Ona, W.Va.)
OL – Eli Russ, Troy (Jr., OL – Ardmore, Okla.)
TE – Kendall Karr, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., TE – Belmont, N.C.)
WR – Courtney Jackson, Arkansas State (RS Sr., WR – Monroeville, Pa.)
WR – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Bentonia, Miss.)
WR – Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama (Sr., WR – Jackson, Ala.)
WR – Kole Wilson, Texas State (Jr., WR – Katy, Texas)
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Will Whitson, Coastal Carolina (Gr., DL – Cincinnati, Ohio)
DL – Eric O'Neill, James Madison (RS Jr., DL – Staten Island, N.Y.)
DL – Jordan Lawson, Louisiana (RS Jr., DL – Brandon, Miss.)
DL – Denzel Lowry, Old Dominion (RS Jr., DL – Virginia Beach, Va.)
DL – Wy'Kevious Thomas, South Alabama (RS Sr., DL – Riverdale, Ga.)
LB – Charles Willekes, Arkansas State (RS Sr., LB – Rockford, Mich.)
LB – Kevin Swint, Georgia State (Sr., LB – Carrollton, Ga.)
LB – KC Ossai, Louisiana (Sr., LB – Conroe, Texas)
DB – TJ Smith, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DB – Atlanta, Ga.)
DB – Chauncey Logan, James Madison (Jr., DB – Salem, Va.)
DB – Tyrone Lewis Jr., Louisiana (RS Sr., DB – Hammond, La.) 
DB – Kaleb Culp, Texas State (Sr., DB – Dallas, Texas)
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Michael Hughes, App State (Sr., K – Charleston, W.Va.)
P – Robert Cole, Troy (Sr., P – Coral Springs, Fla.)
RS – DeAndre Buchannon, Georgia Southern (So., RS – Atlanta, Ga.)
AP – Ja'Quez Cross, Arkansas State (RS Jr., AP – Hampton, Ark.)
 
^ Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team & Second Team Offense Expanded Due to Ties in Voting
 
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
East Division
1. App State – 96 Points (12)
2. James Madison – 79 Points (2)
3. Coastal Carolina – 67 Points
4. Georgia Southern – 50 Points
5. Marshall – 49 Points
6. Old Dominion – 32 Points
7. Georgia State – 19 Points
 
West Division
1. Texas State – 92 Points (9)
2. Troy – 68 Points (4)
3. Louisiana – 66 Points (1)
4. Arkansas State – 65 Points
5. South Alabama – 54 Points
6. Southern Miss – 31 Points
7. ULM – 16 Points