Arkansas State Places Seven on Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team, Picked Third in West Division
Arkansas State enters the 2026 football season with one of the most decorated rosters in the Sun Belt Conference.
The Red Wolves placed a league-high seven players on the 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference First Team, the conference office announced Monday, while also being picked to finish third in the West Division in the league’s preseason coaches poll.
Arkansas State’s seven first-team selections tied Georgia Southern for the second-most overall selections among the conference’s first- and second-team honorees. Marshall led the league with nine total selections.
Leading the way for the Red Wolves was junior wide receiver Chauncy Cobb, who earned first-team recognition at three different positions — wide receiver, return specialist and all-purpose player.
Joining Cobb on the first team were senior running back Kenyon Clay, senior offensive lineman Tristian Smith, senior safety AG McGhee and senior kicker Clune Van Andel.
The recognition reflects the veteran talent returning to a program looking to build on consecutive postseason appearances under head coach Butch Jones.
Cobb enters the season as one of the nation’s most dynamic all-around players after earning Walter Camp Preseason Second Team All-America honors as a kick returner.
Last season, Cobb established himself as one of the most dangerous return specialists in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He was one of only four FBS players to return multiple kickoffs for touchdowns, scoring on a 98-yard return against Arkansas and a 93-yard return against Louisiana.
He finished eighth nationally with 538 kickoff return yards while averaging 26.9 yards per return.
Cobb was equally productive as a receiver, catching 73 passes for 797 yards and a touchdown while appearing in all 13 games. His best receiving performance came against ULM, where he totaled 126 yards, and he added a touchdown reception in Arkansas State’s 34-28 victory over Missouri State in the inaugural Xbox Bowl.
Clay also returns after emerging as one of the Red Wolves’ top offensive weapons during the 2025 season.
Appearing in all 13 games with five starts, the senior running back finished second on the team with 523 rushing yards while scoring six total touchdowns, including three rushing and three receiving scores.
His best outing came against Georgia Southern when he rushed for a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown.
Up front, Smith returns after an injury-shortened season in which he established himself as Arkansas State’s top offensive lineman before suffering a season-ending injury after nine games.
According to Pro Football Focus, Smith earned a 90.5 pass-blocking grade and a 77.1 run-blocking grade while allowing just one sack in 679 offensive snaps.
His play helped the Red Wolves average 382.7 yards of total offense per game before his injury.
Defensively, McGhee returns after starting all 13 games at safety last season.
An honorable mention All-Sun Belt selection in 2025, McGhee finished third on the team with 83 tackles, including 45 solo stops. He added an interception, five pass breakups and a quarterback hurry while recording a career-high 12 tackles against Louisiana.
Van Andel once again earned recognition after another standout season as one of the conference’s premier kickers.
The senior connected on 21 of 27 field-goal attempts and converted 36 of 37 extra points, finishing with a career-high 99 points.
Among his highlights were a 54-yard field goal in Arkansas State’s Xbox Bowl victory over Missouri State and a 38-yard game-winning field goal as time expired to lift the Red Wolves to a 15-14 comeback victory over South Alabama.
While the individual honors highlight the talent returning to Jonesboro, the league’s coaches still see room for Arkansas State to climb the standings.
The Red Wolves were picked to finish third in the Sun Belt West Division with 69 points.
Defending division favorite Troy topped the poll with 96 points and 12 first-place votes. Louisiana finished second with 75 points and one first-place vote, followed by Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss, South Alabama and ULM.
In the East Division, James Madison was selected as the preseason favorite after receiving 94 points and 11 first-place votes. Old Dominion finished second, followed by Marshall, Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State and Georgia State.
The preseason honors and coaches poll come just days before the conference gathers in New Orleans for Sun Belt Football Media Days.
Media Days begin Wednesday with East Division programs before concluding Thursday with the West Division schools.
Arkansas State will be represented Thursday by Jones, Cobb and junior safety Brandon Barnes, who are scheduled to take the main stage at 2 p.m. as the Red Wolves continue preparations for what many believe could be one of the program’s most competitive seasons in recent years.
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year
Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
RB – Kenyon Clay, Arkansas State (RS Sr., RB – Union, Miss.)
RB – Devin Roche, Old Dominion (RS Jr., RB – Baltimore, Md.)
OL – Tristian Smith, Arkansas State (RS Sr., OL – Crossett, Ark.)
OL – Zach Greenberg, James Madison (Gr., OL – Livingston, N.J.)
OL – AJ Vinson, ULM (Sr., OL – Social Circle, Ga.)
OL – Tariq Montgomery, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Akron, Ohio)
OL – Jalen Slappy, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Columbus, Ohio)
TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Sr., TE – Poca, W.Va.)
WR – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Clewiston, Fla.)
WR – Shelton Sampson Jr., Louisiana (RS Jr., WR – Baton Rouge, La.)
WR – Adrian Norton, Marshall (Sr., WR – Huber Heights, Ohio)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Aiden Benton, App State (RS Jr., DL – Clayton, Ga.)
DL – MJ Stroud, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – Amar Thomas, James Madison (RS Sr., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
DL – Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
LB – Colton Phares, App State (RS Jr., LB – Beaufort, S.C.)
LB – Noah Flemmings, ULM (Sr., LB – Austin, Texas)
LB – Kolbe Fields, Louisiana Tech (Gr., LB – New Orleans, La.)
DB – AG McGhee, Arkansas State (RS Sr., DB – Chipley, Fla.)
DB – Ja’Marion Wayne, Coastal Carolina (Gr., DB – St. Louis, Mo.)
DB – Chance Gamble, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., DB – Fitzgerald, Ga.)
DB – Brent Gordon Jr., Louisiana (So., DB – Cecilia, La.)
DB – Daytione Smith, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – East Highland Park, Va.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Clune Van Andel, Arkansas State (Sr., K – Grand Rapids, Mich.)
P – Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
RS – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., RS – Clewiston, Fla.)
AP – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., AP – Clewiston, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Goose Crowder, Troy (Sr., QB – Gardendale, Ala.)
RB – George Pettaway, James Madison (RS Sr., RB – Suffolk, Va.)
RB – Keenan Phillips, South Alabama (Jr., RB – Bainbridge, Ga.)
OL – Tyriq Poindexter, App State (RS Sr., OL – Roanoke, Va.)
OL – Kaden Moreau, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Pineville, La.)
OL – Ethan Hubbard, South Alabama (RS Jr., OL – Hoover, Ala.)
OL – Kenton Jerido, South Alabama (RS Sr., OL – Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
OL – Jordon Jones, Troy (Sr., OL – Ashland, Ky.)
TE – Eli Finley, Louisiana Tech (Sr., TE – Heath, Texas)
WR – Josh Dallas, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., WR – Sharpsburg, Ga.)
WR – Nic Trujillo, ULM (Sr., WR – Rio Rancho, N.M.)
WR – Anthony Eager, South Alabama (RS Jr., WR – Mobile, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Anthony Bynum, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – Fitzgerald West Jr., Louisiana (RS Sr., DL – Lafayette, La.)
DL – Braydin Ward, Marshall (RS Jr., DL – Montgomery, W.Va.)
DL – Chris Forbes, Old Dominion (RS So., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
LB – Tray Brown, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., LB – Margate, Fla.)
LB – Brandon Tyson, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Whiteville, N.C.)
LB – Javae Gilmore, Marshall (RS Sr., LB – Amite, La.)
DB – Myles Woods, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DB – Grayson, Ga.)
DB – Jabari Tiller, ULM (Sr., DB – Sumter, S.C.)
DB – Mario Easterly, Old Dominion (RS Sr., DB – Harrisburg, Pa.)
DB – Zion Frink, Old Dominion (RS Jr., DB – Chesapeake, Va.)
DB – Justin Powe, Troy (Sr., DB – Mobile, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Tripp Bryant, Georgia Southern (So., K – Lexington, S.C.)
P – Alex Smith, Georgia Southern (Sr., P – Melbourne, Australia)
RS – Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, Marshall (RS Sr., RS – Bluefield, Va.)
AP – Jordan Lovett, Troy (Jr., AP – Statesboro, Ga.)
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
(First-Place Votes)
East Division
1. James Madison – 94 Points (11)
2. Old Dominion – 73 Points (1)
3. Marshall – 67 Points
4. Georgia Southern – 53 Points (1)
5. Coastal Carolina – 45 Points (1)
6. App State – 43 Points
7. Georgia State – 17 Points
West Division
1. Troy – 96 Points (12)
2. Louisiana – 75 Points (1)
3. Arkansas State – 69 Points
4. Louisiana Tech – 55 Points
5. Southern Miss – 47 Points (1)
6. South Alabama – 31 Points
7. ULM – 19 Points