Five Georgia State football players were selected to the Sun Belt preseason all-conference team on Friday.
Wide receivers Robert Davis and Penny Hart were named to the first-team offense by the league’s coaches and media, and safety Bobby Baker was selected to the first-team defense. Hart led the team with 71 catches for 1,099 yards last season, and Davis added 61 for 980. Baker had 76 tackles, three interceptions and recovered three fumbles.
Tight end Keith Rucker was selected to the second-team offense, and defensive lineman Shawanye Lawrence was selected to the second-team defense. Rucker had 39 receptions for 725 yards, and Lawrence had 41 tackles.
Each finished all-conference last season after the helping the Panthers go 6-7 and appear in their first bowl game.
The Panthers were picked by the league's coaches earlier this week to finish fourth.
2016 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Football Teams
First Team Offense
Taylor Lamb (Appalachian State, QB, Jr., Physical Education)
Matt Breida (Georgia Southern, RB, Sr., Accounting)
Larry Rose III (New Mexico State, RB, Jr., Communications)
Dijon Paschal (Arkansas State, WR, Jr., Sport Management)
Robert Davis (Georgia State, WR, Jr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Penny Hart (Georgia State, WR, So., Exercise Science)
Gerald Everett (South Alabama, TE, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Parker Collins (Appalachian State, OL, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Jemar Clark (Arkansas State, OL, Sr., General Studies)
Colton Jackson (Arkansas State, OL, Sr., General Studies)
Andy Kwon (Georgia Southern, OL, Sr., Sport Management)
Antonio Garcia (Troy, OL, Sr., Post Graduate-Criminal Justice)
First Team Defense
Waylon Roberson (Arkansas State, DL, Sr., General Studies)
Ja’Von Rolland-Jones (Arkansas State, DL, Jr., Sport Management)
Bernard Dawson (Georgia Southern, DL, Sr., Information Technology)
Jay Ellison (Georgia Southern, DL, Sr., General Studies)
Rashad Dillard (Troy, DL, Sr., Psychology)
Eric Boggs (Appalachian State, LB, Jr., Physical Education)
John Law (Appalachian State, LB, Sr., Health Promotion)
Xavier Woodson-Luster (Arkansas State, LB, Sr., Sport Management)
Cody Brown (Arkansas State, DB, Sr., Communication Studies)
Bobby Baker (Georgia State, DB, Sr., Speech)
Savion Brown (Louisiana-Lafayette, DB, Sr., General Studies)
Jeremy Reaves (South Alabama, DB, Jr., Sports and Recreation Management)
First Team Special Teams
Austin Rehkow (Idaho, P, Sr., Exercise Science and Health)
Austin Rehkow (Idaho, PK, Sr., Exercise Science and Health)
Blaise Taylor (Arkansas State, RS, Jr., Business Administration)
Second Team Offense
Matt Linehan (Idaho, QB, Jr., Broadcast and Digital Media)
Marcus Cox (Appalachian State, RB, Sr., Management)
Elijah McGuire (Louisiana-Lafayette, RB, Sr., General Studies)
Callen Hightower (Idaho, WR, Sr., General Studies)
AJalen Holley (Louisiana-Monroe, WR, Sr., Kinesiology)
Josh Magee (South Alabama, WR, Sr., Communication)
Keith Rucker (Georgia State, TE, Sr., Speech)
Colby Gossett (Appalachian State, OL, Jr., Management)
Devin Mondie (Arkansas State, OL, Sr., Communication Studies)
Anthony McMeans (New Mexico State, OL, Sr., Individualized Studies)
Curtis Williams (South Alabama, OL, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Ryan Melton (Texas State, OL, Sr., Agriculture)
Second Team Defense
Darrius Sapp (Georgia Southern, DL, Jr., General Studies)
Shawanye Lawrence (Georgia State, DL, Sr., Psychology)
Karmichael Dunbar (Louisiana-Lafayette, DL, Sr., Criminal Justice)
Taboris Lee (Louisiana-Lafayette, DL, Jr., General Studies)
Khari Lain (Arkansas State, LB, Jr., Strategic Communications/Public Relations)
Otha Peters (Louisiana-Lafayette, LB, Sr., General Studies)
Roman Buchanan (South Alabama, LB, Sr., Exercise Science)
Chris Humes (Arkansas State, DB, Sr., Health Promotions)
Blaise Taylor (Arkansas State, DB, Jr., Business Administration)
Tracy Walker (Louisiana-Lafayette, DB, Jr., Sports Management)
Tre’ Hunter (Louisiana-Monroe, DB, Sr., General Studies)
Kalen Jackson (South Alabama, DB, Sr., Communication)
Second Team Special Teams
Lumi Kaba (Texas State, P, Sr., Exploratory Professional Studies)
Aleem Sunanon (South Alabama, PK, Sr., Masters of Public Administration)
Xavier Johnson (South Alabama, RS, Jr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Preseason Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year
Larry Rose III (New Mexico State, RB, Jr., Communications)
Preseason Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year
John Law (Appalachian State, LB, Sr., Health Promotion)
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