10 Red Wolves selected to 2021 All-Sun Belt Football Team

The Arkansas State football team had 10 players combine for 11 selections to the 2021 All-Sun Belt Conference Team, announced Thursday by the league office.

The Red Wolves had one first-team selection, four players earn second-team recognition, two third-team picks and an additional four honorable mention choices. A-State had players represent all three phases of the game, including four on offense and three on both offense and special teams.

Senior running back Alan Lamar represented A-State on the first team as a kick returner after posting a school and Sun Belt Conference-record 1,333 kickoff return yards that are currently the most in the nation. The Olive Branch, Miss., native and two-time Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week was named second team at the all-purpose position as well.

Also representing the Red Wolves on the second team were junior defensive end Kivon Bennett (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), junior kicker Blake Grupe (Sedalia, Mo.) and second-year freshman wide receiver Corey Rucker (Bentonia, Miss.). Bennett is ranked among the top three players in the league for both tackles for loss (16.5) and sacks (8.0).

Grupe became A-State’s all-time career scoring and field-goals made leader during the course of the season, while Rucker posted nine touchdown receptions that were the most in the Sun Belt among wide receivers.

Finding a place on the third team were junior wide receiver Te’Vailance Hunt (Texarkana, Texas) and redshirt freshman punter Ryan Hanson (Taylor, Texas). Hunt ended the regular season with 51 receptions for 749 yards and six touchdowns, and Hanson averaged 44.0 yards per punt that was the third best in the SBC.

A-State’s four honorable mention selections were made up of senior safety Elery Alexander (Van Vleck, Texas), defensive end Joe Ozougwu (Alief, Texas), junior offensive lineman Andre Harris Jr. (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and freshman tight end Emmanual Stevenson (Eufaula, Ala.).

Alexander led A-State in tackles with 84 to his credit, Ozougwu ranks 10th in the nation in total tackles for loss (16.0), Harris picked up his second career All-Sun Belt selection and Stevenson ended his true freshman season with 22 receptions for 193 yards and a pair of scores.

2021 ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE

Player of the Year: Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Offensive Player of the Year: Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama

Defensive Player of the Year: D’Marco Jackson, App State

Newcomer of the Year: Chase Brice, App State

Freshman of the Year: Montrell Johnson, Louisiana

Coach of the Year: Billy Napier, Louisiana

All-Sun Belt First Team Offense

QB: Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

RB: Nate Noel, App State

RB: Shermari Jones, Coastal Carolina

OL: Max Mitchell, Louisiana

OL: Cooper Hodges, App State

OL: O’Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana

OL: Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State

OL: Baer Hunter, App State

TE: Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina

WR: Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama

WR: Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina

WR: Corey Sutton, App State

All-Sun Belt First Team Defense

DL: Josiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina

DL: Demetrius Taylor, App State

DL: Javon Salomon, Troy

DL: CJ Brewer, Coastal Carolina

LB: D’Marco Jackson, App State

LB: Carlton Martial, Troy

LB: Silas Kelly, Coastal Carolina

DB: Steven Jones Jr., App State

DB: Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama

DB: Shaun Jolly, App State

DB: Antavious Lane, Georgia State

DB: D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina

All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams

RS: Alan Lamar, Arkansas State

K: Chandler Staton, App State

P: Rhys Burns, Louisiana

AP: Chris Smith, Louisiana

All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense

WR: Corey Rucker, Arkansas State

QB: Levi Lewis, Louisiana

RB: Camerun Peoples, App State

RB: Montrell Johnson, Louisiana

OL: Malik Sumter, Georgia State

OL: Shane Vallot. Louisiana

OL: Austin Stidham, Troy

OL: Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina

OL: Dylan Bradshaw, Troy

TE: Roger Carter, Georgia State

WR: Malik Williams, App State

WR: Thomas Hennigan, App State

All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense

DL: Kivon Bennett, Arkansas State

DL: Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina

DL: Zi’Yon Hill, Louisiana

DL: CJ Wright, Georgia Southern

DL: Will Choloh, Troy

LB: Chauncey Manac, Louisiana

LB: Trey Cobb, App State

LB: Lorenzo McCaskill, Louisiana

DB: Keith Gallmon Jr., South Alabama

DB: Percy Butler, Louisiana

DB: Kaiden Smith, App State

DB: Eric Garror, Louisiana

All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams

K: Blake Grupe, Arkansas State

AP: Alan Lamar, Arkansas State

P: Anthony Beck II, Georgia Southern

RS: Jalen Virgil, App State

All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense

WR: Te’Vailance Hunt, Arkansas State

QB: Chase Brice, App State

RB: Chris Smith, Louisiana

RB: Tucker Gregg, Georgia State

OL: Anderson Hardy, App State

OL: Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina

OL: Dalton Cooper, Texas State

OL: Pat Bartlett, Georgia State

OL: Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern

TE: Lincoln Sefcik, South Alabama

WR: Tez Johnson, Troy

WR: Boogie Knight, ULM

All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense

DL: Richard Jibunor, Troy

DL: Tayland Humphrey, Louisiana

DL: Dontae Wilson, Georgia State

DL: Andre Jones, Louisiana

LB: Nick Hampton, App State

LB: Eldrick Robinson II, Georgia Southern

LB: Blake Carroll, Georgia State

DB: Quavian White, Georgia State

DB: Anthony Wilson, Georgia Southern

DB: Alex Spillum, Coastal Carolina

DB: Mekhi Garner, Louisiana

DB: TJ Harris, Troy

All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams

P: Ryan Hanson, Arkansas State

K: Calum Sutherland, ULM

RS: Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina

AP: Caleb Spurlin, App State

Arkansas State Honorable Mention

DB: Elery Alexander

OL: Andre Harris Jr.

DE: Joe Ozougwu

TE: Emmanual Stevenson

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