The 2023 Sun Belt season was one to remember. JMU became a household name and America’s team while the Troy Trojans and App State Mountaineers squared off for the title.
While the nation watched if JMU would be eligible for the postseason, some impressive performances happened and the Dukes dominate the 2023 All-Sun Belt honors.
Sun Belt Football Team Honors for 2023
Follow along with all of the CFN All-Conference teams all the same for individual honors from each conference: All-Americans | ACC | B1G | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC | FBS Ind. | AAC | CUSA | MAC | Mountain West
- Player of the Year
Jordan McCloud, QB, JMU - Offensive Player of the Year
Jordan McCloud, QB, JMU - Defensive Player of the Year
Jalen Green, EDGE, JMU - Specialist of the Year
Michael Hughes, K, App State - Newcomer of the Year
D’Angelo Ponds, CB, JMU - Coach of the Year
Curt Cignetti, JMU
All-Sun Belt Offense
- Quarterback of the Year
Jordan McCloud, JMU - Running Back of the Year
Kimani Vidal, Troy - Wide Receiver of the Year
Elijah Sarratt, JMU - Tight End of the Year
Neal Johnson, Louisiana - Offensive Tackle of the Year
Ethan Driskell, Marshall - Offensive Guard of the Year
Cole Potts, JMU - Offensive Center of the Year
Zac Elam, Coastal Carolina - Offensive Lineman of the Year
Cole Potts, G, JMU - Offensive Line of the Year
UL-Monroe Warhawks - Offensive Newcomer of the Year
Elijah Sarratt, WR, JMU
2023 First-Team All-Sun Belt Offense
QB: Jordan McCloud, JMU
RB: Kimani Vidal, Troy
RB: Marcus Carroll, Georgia State
WR: Reggie Brown, JMU
WR: Elijah Sarratt, JMU
WR: Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
TE: Neal Johnson, Louisiana
FLEX: Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
OT: Ethan Driskell, Marshall
OG: AJ Gillie, Louisiana
OC: Zac Elam, Coastal Carolina
OG: Cole Potts, JMU
OT: Travis Glover, Georgia State
2023 Second-Team All-Sun Belt Offense
QB: Joey Aguilar, App State
RB: Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
RB: La’Damian Webb, South Alabama
WR: Joey Hobert, Texas State
WR: Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern
WR: Kaedin Robinson, App State
TE: Zach Horton, JMU
FLEX: Rasheen Ali, Marshall
OT: Tyler Stephens, JMU
OG: Carter Miller, JMU
OC: Zarian McGill, UL-Monroe
OG: Tellek Lockett, UL-Monroe
OT: Keydrell Lewis, UL-Monroe
2023 Third-Team All-Sun Belt Offense
QB: Gunnar Watson, Troy
RB: Jalen White, Georgia Southern
RB: Nate Noel, App State
WR: Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina
WR: Robert Lewis, Georgia State
WR: Chris Lewis, Troy
TE: Terrance Carter, Louisiana
FLEX: Jared Brown, Coastal Carolina
OT: Rasheed Miller, Georgia Southern
OG: Bucky Williams, App State
OC: Landon Burton, Louisiana
OG: Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern
OT: Jack Murphy, App State
2023 Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Offense
QB: T.J. Finley, Texas State
RB: Jacob Kibodi, Louisiana
RB: Ja’Quez Cross, Arkansas State
WR: Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama
WR: Ashtyn Hawkins, Texas State
WR: Kole Wilson, Texas State
TE: Jjay Mcafee, Georgia Southern
FLEX: Jabre Barber, Troy
OT: Montavious Cunningham, Georgia State
OG: Dalton Tucker, Marshall
OC: Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State
OG: Dontae Lucas, South Alabama
OT: Nathan Thomas, Louisiana
All-Sun Belt Defense
- Defensive Lineman of the Year
Jalen Green, EDGE, JMU - EDGE Defender of the Year
Jalen Green, JMU - Defensive Interior of the Year
James Carpenter, JMU - Linebacker of the Year
Jason Henderson, ODU - Cornerback of the Year
D’Angelo Ponds, JMU - Safety of the Year
Jaden Voisin, South Alabama - Defensive Line of the Year
JMU Dukes - Secondary of the Year
JMU Dukes - Defensive Newcomer of the Year
D’Angelo Ponds, CB, JMU
2023 First-Team All-Sun Belt Defense
EDGE: Jalen Green, JMU
DT: Adin Huntington, UL-Monroe
DT: James Carpenter, JMU
EDGE: Javon Solomon, Troy
LB: Jason Henderson, ODU
LB: Eli Neal, Marshall
LB: Brian Holloway, Texas State
CB: D’Angelo Ponds, JMU
CB: Reddy Steward, Troy
CB: Tyrek Funderburk, App State
S: Jaden Voisin, South Alabama
S: Jacob Thomas, JMU
FLEX: LaMareon James, ODU
2023 Second-Team All-Sun Belt Defense
EDGE: Jamree Kromah, JMU
DT: TyQuaze Leggs, Marshall
DT: Michael Mason, Coastal Carolina
EDGE: Mikail Kamara, JMU
LB: Andrew Parker, App State
LB: Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern
LB: Aiden Fisher, JMU
CB: Gavin Pringle, Georgia State
CB: Chauncey Logan, JMU
CB: Micah Abraham, Marshall
S: Jay Stanley, Southern Miss
S: Francis Meehan, JMU
FLEX: Caleb Ransaw, Troy
2023 Third-Team All-Sun Belt Defense
EDGE: Ben Bell, Texas State
DT: Santana Hopper, App State
DT: Charles Coleman III, South Alabama
EDGE: Jamie Sheriff, South Alabama
LB: Melique Straker, Arkansas State
LB: JT Killen, Coastal Carolina
LB: Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State
CB: Samy Johnson, Arkansas State
CB: Ricky Fletcher, South Alabama
CB: Keonte Lusk, Coastal Carolina
S: Irshaad Davis, Troy
S: Clayton Isbell, Coastal Carolina
FLEX: Elijah Alston, Marshall
2023 Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Defense
EDGE: Thurman Geathers, Arkansas State
EDGE: Javon Dennis, Georgia State
DT: T.J. Jackson, Troy
DT: Justin Rhodes, Georgia Southern
DT: Henry Bryant III, Georgia State
DT: Wy’Kevious Thomas, South Alabama
EDGE: Richard Jibunor, Troy
EDGE: Owen Porter, Marshall
LB: Stephen Dix Jr., Marshall
LB: Swayze Bozeman, Southern Miss
LB: K.C. Ossai, Louisiana
LB: Jailin Walker, JMU
LB: Taurus Jones, JMU
LB: Trey Kiser, South Alabama
CB: O’shai Fletcher, Troy
CB: Kaleb Ford-Dement, Texas State
CB: Matthew McDoom, Coastal Carolina
CB: Chris Mills, Texas State
CB: Tahj Ra-El, ODU
CB: David Godsey Jr., UL-Monroe
S: Justin Parks, Arkansas State
S: Jordan Favors, App State
S: TyGee Leach, Georgia State
S: Yam Banks, South Alabama
FLEX: Chris Chukwuneke, JMU
FLEX: Jarius Reimonenq, JMU
All-Sun Belt Special Teams
- Kicker of the Year
Michael Hughes, App State - Punter of the Year
Ryan Hanson, JMU - Kick Returner of the Year
Jayden Harrison, Marshall - Punt Returner of the Year
Tiaquelin Mims, Southern Miss - Special Teamer of the Year
Jackson Greene, App State - Kickoff Specialist of the Year
Michael Hughes, App State - Special Teams Newcomer of the Year
Zylan Perry, Louisiana
2023 First-Team All-Sun Belt Specialists
PK: Michael Hughes, App State
KOS: Michael Hughes, App State
P: Ryan Hanson, JMU
KR: Jayden Harrison, Marshall
PR: Tiaquelin Mims, Southern Miss
ST: Jackson Greene, App State
2023 Second-Team All-Sun Belt Specialists
PK: Michael Lantz, Georgia Southern
KOS: Michael Lantz, Georgia Southern
P: William Przystup, Arkansas State
KR: Zylan Perry, Louisiana
PR: Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
ST: Devyn Coles, JMU
2023 Third-Team All-Sun Belt Specialists
PK: Derek McCormick, UL-Monroe
KOS: Connor Madden, JMU
P: Thomas Leo, Louisiana
KR: Ja’Quez Cross, Arkansas State
PR: Josh Sarratt, JMU
ST: Julian Ortega-Jones, Texas State
2023 Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Specialists
PK: Mason Shipley, Texas State
KOS: Liam Gray, Coastal Carolina
PK: Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana
KOS: Rece Verhoff, Marshall
P: Robert Cole, Troy
P: Braxton Guilbeau, UL-Monroe
KR: Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
KR: DeAndre Buchannon, Georgia Southern
PR: Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern
PR: Courtney Jackson, Arkansas State
ST: Michael Batton, UL-Monroe
ST: Devin Martinez, Texas State