Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun football team is picked to win the Sun Belt West division, while 9 members of the team earn spots on the 2021 preseason Sun Belt All-Conference team, the conference announced today.

Four Cajuns were named to the 1st team, while five landed on the 2nd team.

Sophomore offensive lineman O'Cyrus Torrence is the lone Louisiana player on the First-Team Offense, while redshirt junior Bralen Trahan is the lone Cajun representative on the First-Team Defense.

Redshirt sophomore running back Chris Smith (pictured) was named First-Team return specialist, while junior punter Rhys Byrns represents Louisiana as the First-Team punter.

Ragin' Cajun senior quarterback Levi Lewis and junior offensive lineman Max Mitchell were named to the Second-Team Offense.

Second-Team Defense Louisiana players include redshirt junior defensive lineman Zi'Yon Hill, redshirt junior linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill, and junior cornerback Eric Garror.

Louisiana received 9 of 10 first-place votes to win the Sun Belt West Division, with Arkansas State receiving 1 vote and picked second.

Louisiana Ragin' Cajun football season begins on Saturday, Sept. 4, at Texas. Kickoff in Austin is slated for 3:30 p.m.

Listen to Louisiana Ragin' Cajun football broadcasts all season on ESPN1420, ESPN1420.com, and the ESPN1420 app.

Here is a rundown of the entire 2021 Preseason All-Sun Belt teams, players of the year and predicted order of finish.

2021 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Awards

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS So., QB – Indian Trail, N.C.)

 

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Carlton Martial, Troy (Jr., LB – Mobile, Ala.)

 

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense

QB – Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS So. – Indian Trail, N.C.)

RB – Camerun Peoples, App State (Jr. – Lineville, Ala.)

RB – Destin Coates, Georgia State (Sr. – Tallahassee, Fla.)

OL – Baer Hunter, App State (Super Sr. – Clemmons, N.C.)

OL – Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State (RS Sr. – Riverdale, Ga.)

OL – Cooper Hodges, App State (Jr. – Glen St. Mary, Fla.)

OL – Austin Stidham, Troy (Jr. – Russellville, Ala.)

OL – O’Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana (So. – Greensburg, La.)

TE – Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (Sr. – Cambridge, Mass.)

WR – Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (Jr. – Mobile, Ala.)

WR – Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina (Sr. – Venice, Fla.)

WR – Sam Pinckney, Georgia State (RS Jr. – Greenwood, S.C.)

 

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense

DL – Jeffery Gunter, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr. – Durham, N.C.)

DL – CJ Brewer, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Bowdon, Ga.)

DL – Demetrius Taylor, App State (Super Sr. – Miami, Fla.)

DL – Will Choloh, Troy (Jr. – Lawrenceville, Ga.)

LB – Carlton Martial, Troy (Jr. – Mobile, Ala.)

LB – D’Marco Jackson, App State (Sr. – Spartanburg, S.C.)

LB – Silas Kelly, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Mount Airy, Md.)

DB – Derrick Canteen, Georgia Southern (RS So. – Evans, Ga.)

DB – Shaun Jolly, App State (Sr. – Stone Mountain, Ga.)

DB – D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina (Sr. – Batesville, Miss.)

DB – Bralen Trahan, Louisiana (RS Jr. – Lafayette, La.)

 

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams

K – Noel Ruiz, Georgia State (Sr. – Wilson, N.C.)

P – Rhys Byrns, Louisiana (Jr. – Melbourne, Australia)

RS – Chris Smith, Louisiana (RS So. – Louisville, Miss.)

 

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense

QB – Levi Lewis, Louisiana (Sr. – Baton Rouge, La.)

RB – JD King, Georgia Southern (Fifth-Year Sr. – Fitzgerald, Ga.)

RB – Daetrich Harrington, App State (Sr. – Douglasville, Ga.)

OL – Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Monroeville, Ala.)

OL – Max Mitchell, Louisiana (Jr. – Monroe, La.)

OL – Dylan Bradshaw, Troy (Sr. – Enterprise, Ala.)

OL – Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina (So. – Lakeland, Fla.)

OL – Aaron Dowdell, Georgia Southern (Sixth-Year Sr. – Fairburn, Ga.)

TE – Roger Carter, Georgia State (Sr. – Columbia, S.C.)

WR – Thomas Hennigan, App State (Super Sr. – Greensboro, N.C.)

WR – Marcell Barbee, Texas State (Jr. – Pueblo, Colo.)

WR – Cornelius McCoy, Georgia State (Sr. – Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

 

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense

DL – Zi’Yon Hill, Louisiana (RS Jr. – New Iberia, La.)

DL – Hardrick Willis, Georgia State (RS Sr. – Jonesboro, Ga.)

DL – Dontae Wilson, Georgia State (Sr. – Jefferson, Ga.)

DL – Nico Ezidore, Texas State (Jr. – Garland, Texas)

LB – Lorenzo McCaskill, Louisiana (RS Jr. – Detroit, Mich.)

LB – Teddy Gallagher, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Los Angeles, Calif.)

LB – Brendan Harrington, App State (Jr. - Pittsboro, N.C.)

DB – Antavious Lane, Georgia State (RS So. – West Palm Beach, Fla.)

DB – Quavian White, Georgia State (Sr. – Greer, S.C.)

DB – Keith Gallmon, South Alabama (Jr. – Mobile, Ala.)

DB – Eric Garror, Louisiana (Jr. – Mobile, Ala.)

 

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams

K – Massimo Biscardi, Coastal Carolina (Sr. – Downingtown, Pa.)

P – Anthony Beck II, Georgia Southern (RS Jr. – Guyton, Ga.)

RS – Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern (Jr. – McDonough, Ga.)

 

2021 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll

East Division

T1. Coastal Carolina (6) – 44

T1. App State (4) – 44

3. Georgia State – 24

4. Georgia Southern – 20

5. Troy – 18

 

West Division

1. Louisiana (9) – 49

2. Arkansas State (1) – 38

3. South Alabama – 27

4. Texas State – 25

5. ULM – 11

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