Sun Belt unveils Preseason Polls

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - If it’s mid-July, that means the preseason football polls are being released. On Monday, Marshall quarterback Carlos Del-Rio Wilson received a major accolade by being named Sun Belt Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and first team quarterback while the Herd was picked to finish third in the East Division. Also making the first team for Marshall is tight end Toby Payne, wide receiver Adrian Norton and offensive lineman Tariq Montgomery and Jalen Slappy.

Defensive back Daytione Smith was the only Marshall player to make first team defense. Defensive lineman Braydin Ward and linebacker Javae Gilmore were named to the second team defense. On special teams, Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw was picked as the second team return specialist.

Marshall head coach Tony Gibson said this in a statement on Monday. “We are happy to see Carlos recognized as the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year and for our guys to be honored by the league’s coaches and media. When the league’s coaches recognize you, it means you made an impact on them when they saw you play. Now, our guys have to put the work in to show they’ve earned those accolades and to get us where we want to be, which is as 2026 Sun Belt Champions.”

Here’s the full list of players named by the Sun Belt Monday afternoon.

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