Georgia State with 13 Representatives in All-Sun Belt Postseason Honors Lists

After a strong 6-1 end to the season which saw them finish with a 7-5 record (including a new best 6-2 in Sun Belt play), Georgia State had 13 players named to the postseason All-Sun Belt teams, voted on by coaches and selected members of the media.

The host of Panther honorees is led by their two First Team selections, super-senior left guard Shamarious Gilmore and sophomore safety Antavious Lane. Gilmore, playing in his fifth season for Georgia State, joins Coastal Carolina’s Trey Carter as the first-ever five-time honorees in the Sun Belt postseason all-conference teams. Lane tied for second in the conference with 4 interceptions in 2021, setting the school career record with his 8th interception at Georgia State in the 2021 regular season finale against Troy. This is his second selection, after making the Second Team in 2020.

The Second Team inclusions for Georgia State are both on the offensive side of the ball, as two seniors, tight end Roger Carter and center Malik Sumter, earn their third and highest placement on the Sun Belt postseason honors. Carter was a key cog in the blocking schemes for Georgia State’s run game and ended up the team’s third-leading receiver this season with 323 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 catches. Sumter, a two-time member of the Honorable Mention team in 2019 and 2020, has been a four-year starter and steadying force in the middle of the Georgia State offensive line.

There’s another pair of seniors from Georgia State’s offense on the All-Sun Belt Third Team,  first-time selections running back Tucker Gregg and right guard Pat Bartlett. Gregg, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship in 2019, led the Panthers and was third in the Sun Belt with 899 yards this season. His 9 touchdowns was good for 4th-best in the conference. Bartlett is another four-year starter on the OL who helped clear the way for the Georgia State running game, to the tune of 222 yards per game in 2021 (2nd-best in the Sun Belt, 11th-best in FBS). 

On the defensive side, there were three Third Team honorees for the Panthers, all seniors – nose guard Dontae Wilson, linebacker Blake Carroll and cornerback Quavian White. Wilson, earning recognition for the third straight season after making Honorable Mention in 2019 and the Third Team last year, is the Panthers’ all-time leader in tackles for loss (28) and has the second-most career sacks (11) behind fellow senior Hardrick Willis’s 12. He had 8 of those TFLs this season, good for second on the team, and two fumble recoveries. Carroll started at inside linebacker for the second straight season and has now made an All-Sun Belt team both years after making the Honorable Mentions in 2020. He led the team with 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, and his 82 tackles were the second-most on Georgia State and the eighth-most in the Sun Belt. White, a senior from Greer, SC, made the Second Team last year but still holds a spot on the Third Team after his play this season. He had 8 pass breakups and 1 interception in 2021.

The four Honorable Mentions for Georgia State this season are three first-time honorees – senior running back Jamyest Williams, sophomore defensive lineman Thomas Gore and junior inside linebacker Jordan Veneziale – and a returning honoree in senior tight end Aubry Payne. Williams switched from cornerback to running back after transferring in from South Carolina and has formed a formidable partnership with fellow all-conference mate Tucker Gregg. His 6.75 yards per carry led the Sun Belt in 2021 and he had a total of 810 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns. Gore and Veneziale each had a coming out party in 2021, with Gore leading the DL with his 44 total tackles and Veneziale leading the team with 88 tackles. Payne, who made the Second Team in 2019, led the 2021 Georgia State team with 5 receiving touchdowns. He had 17 catches for 142 yards.

The full list is as follows: (Georgia State players italicized)

Player of the Year

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS So., QB) 

Offensive Player of the Year

Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (Jr., WR) 

Defensive Player of the Year

D’Marco Jackson, App State (Sr., LB) 

Newcomer of the Year

Chase Brice, App State (Gr., QB) 

Freshman of the Year

Montrell Johnson, Louisiana (Fr., RB) 

Coach of the Year

Billy Napier, Louisiana

All-Sun Belt First Team Offense 

• QB – Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS So., QB) 
• RB – Nate Noel, App State (So., RB) 
• RB – Shermari Jones, Coastal Carolina (Sr., RB) 
• OL – Max Mitchell, Louisiana (Jr., OL) 
• OL – Cooper Hodges, App State (Jr., OL) 
• OL – O’Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana (So., OL.)
• OL – Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State (RS Sr., OL) 
• OL – Baer Hunter, App State (Super Sr., OL)
• TE – Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (Sr., TE)
• WR – Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (Jr., WR) 
• WR – Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina (Sr., WR) 
• WR – Corey Sutton, App State (Super Sr., WR) 

All-Sun Belt First Team Defense 

• DL – Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina (Fr., DL) 
• DL – Demetrius Taylor, App State (Super Sr., DL) 
• DL – Javon Solomon, Troy (RS Fr., DL) 
• DL – C.J. Brewer, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr., DL) 
• LB – D’Marco Jackson, App State (Sr., LB) 
• LB – Carlton Martial, Troy (Jr., LB) 
• LB – Silas Kelly, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr., LB) 
• DB – Steven Jones Jr., App State (Sr., DB) 
• DB – Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama (Jr., DB) 
• DB – Shaun Jolly, App State (Sr., DB) 
• DB – Antavious Lane, Georgia State (RS So., DB) 
• DB – D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina (Sr., DB) 

All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams

• K – Chandler Staton, App State (Super Sr., K) 
• P – Rhys Byrns, Louisiana (Jr., P)
• RS – Alan Lamar, Arkansas State (Sr., RS) 
• AP – Chris Smith, Louisiana (RS So., AP)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense 

• QB – Levi Lewis, Louisiana (Sr., QB) 
• RB – Camerun Peoples, App State (Jr., RB) 
• RB – Montrell Johnson, Louisiana (Fr., RB) 
• OL – Malik Sumter, Georgia State (RS Sr., OL) 
• OL – Shane Vallot. Louisiana (RS Jr., OL) 
• OL – Austin Stidham, Troy (Jr., OL) 
• OL – Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina (So., OL) 
• OL – Dylan Bradshaw, Troy (Sr., OL) 
• TE – Roger Carter, Georgia State (Sr., TE)
• WR – Malik Williams, App State (Super Sr., WR) 
• WR – Thomas Hennigan, App State (Super Sr., WR) 
• WR – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State (Fr., WR) 

All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense 

• DL – Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., DL) 
• DL – Kivon Bennett, Arkansas State (RS Jr., DL) 
• DL – Zi’Yon Hill, Louisiana (RS Jr., DL) 
• DL – CJ Wright, Georgia Southern (Sr., DL) 
• DL – Will Choloh, Troy (Jr., DL) 
• LB – Chauncey Manac, Louisiana (RS Sr., LB) 
• LB – Trey Cobb, App State (Sr., LB) 
• LB – Lorenzo McCaskill, Louisiana (RS Jr., LB)
• DB – Keith Gallmon Jr., South Alabama (Jr., DB) 
• DB – Percy Butler, Louisiana (Jr., DB) 
• DB – Kaiden Smith, App State (Super Sr., DB) 
• DB – Eric Garror, Louisiana (Jr., DB) 

All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams

• K – Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (RS Jr., K) 
• P – Anthony Beck II, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., P) 
• RS – Jalen Virgil, App State (Super Sr., RS) 
• AP – Alan Lamar, Arkansas State (Sr., AP) 

All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense 

• QB – Chase Brice, App State (Gr., QB) 
• RB – Chris Smith, Louisiana (RS So., RB) 
• RB – Tucker Gregg, Georgia State (Sr., RB)
• OL – Anderson Hardy, App State (Jr., OL) 
• OL – Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr., OL) 
• OL – Dalton Cooper, Texas State (Fr., OL) 
• OL – Pat Bartlett, Georgia State (RS Sr., OL)
• OL – Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., OL) 
• TE – Lincoln Sefcik, South Alabama (So., TE) 
• WR – Tez Johnson, Troy (Fr., WR) 
• WR – TeVailance Hunt, Arkansas State (Jr., WR)
• WR – Boogie Knight, ULM (Jr., WR) 

All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense 

• DL – Richard Jibunor, Troy (So., DL) 
• DL – Tayland Humphrey, Louisiana (RS Sr., DL) 
• DL – Dontae Wilson, Georgia State (Sr., DL)
• DL – Andre Jones, Louisiana (RS Jr., DL) 
• LB – Nick Hampton, App State (Jr., LB) 
• LB – Eldrick Robinson II, Georgia Southern (Fr., LB) 
• LB – Blake Carroll, Georgia State (Sr., LB) 
• DB – Quavian White, Georgia State (Sr., DB)
• DB – Anthony Wilson, Georgia Southern (RS So., DB) 
• DB – Alex Spillum, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., DB) 
• DB – Mekhi Garner, Louisiana (RS So., DB)
• DB – TJ Harris, Troy (Jr., DB) 

All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams

• K – Calum Sutherland, ULM (Sr., K) 
• P – Ryan Hanson, Arkansas State (RS Fr., P)
• RS – Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina (Sr., RS) 
• AP – Caleb Spurlin, App State (Super Sr., AP) 

All-Sun Belt Honorable Mentions 

App State

• TE – Henry Pearson (Sr., TE) 
• DL – Jordon Earle (Jr., DL) 
• LB – T.D. Roof (Sr., LB)
• DB – Ryan Huff (Sr., DB) 

Arkansas State

• OL – Andre Harris Jr. (RS Jr., OL) 
• TE – Emmanual Stevenson (Fr., TE)
• DL – Joe Ozougwu (RS Sr., DL)
• DB – Elery Alexander (Sr., DB) 

Coastal Carolina

• RB – Braydon Bennett (RS Fr., RB) 
• WR – Kameron Brown (Super Sr., WR)
• LB – Teddy Gallagher (Super Sr., LB) 
• SPUR – Enock Makonzo (RS Sr., SPUR)

Georgia Southern 

• RB – Logan Wright (RS Sr., RB) 
• OL – Aaron Dowdell (Super Sr., OL) 
• WR – Khaleb Hood (Jr., WR) 
• DL – Justin Ellis (RS Sr., DL) 

Georgia State

• RB – Jamyest Williams TE
• TE – Aubry Payne (RS Sr., TE) 
• DL – Thomas Gore (RS So., DL) 
• LB – Jordan Veneziale (Jr., LB) 

Louisiana 

• TE – Johnny Lumpkin (RS Jr., TE) 
• WR – Michael Jefferson (Jr., WR) 
• LB – Ferrod Gardner (RS Sr., LB) 
• DB – Bralen Trahan (RS Jr., DB.) 

ULM

• DL – Ty Shelby (Gr., DL) 
• DL – Caleb Thomas (Jr., DL)
• LB – Traveion Webster (Sr., LB) 
• LB – Zack Woodard (Jr., LB) 

South Alabama

• QB – Jake Bentley (Sr., QB) 
• WR – Jalen Wayne (Jr., WR) 
• DL – Wy’Kevious Thomas (RS Fr., DL) 
• P – Jack Brooks (So., P)

Texas State

• OL – Kyle Hergel (So., OL) 
• DL – Jordan Revels (So., DL) 
• DL – Caeveon Patton (Sr., DL) 
• K – Seth Keller (So., K) 

Troy

• RB – Kimani Vidal (Fr., RB) 
• LB – KJ Robertson (Jr., LB) 
• DB – Reddy Steward (So., DB) 
• LS – Cameron Kaye (Sr., LS)