Photo: Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire

It’s finally time to release our SIS All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our team of selections for 2023, plus some honorable mentions.

You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

These picks are meant to honor this season’s best-of-the-best in the Sun Belt.

Offense

When discussing the Sun Belt in 2023, you have to begin with Kimani Vidal. His dominant season culminated in receiving both the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year and the Sun Belt Football Championship Game Most Valuable Player award. It is no surprise that Vidal led all Sun Belt RB’s with 37 Total Points. Not far behind him is rising senior La’Damian Webb, who racked up 35 Total Points while missing a game due to injury.

When taking a deeper look at the Total Point amounts in the Sun Belt this year, one player jumps off the page, Elijah Sarratt. Sarratt’s 42 Total Points easily surpassed his position mates, with two players tying for 2nd place at 26 Total Points each.

Defense

While the Sun Belt provided plenty of stout defenses in 2023, none dominated like James Madison. Both Jamree Kromah and Jalen Green paced their position groups with 43 and 47 Total Points, respectively. Green, who suffered a season ending injury after only nine games, also led the nation with 13 solo sacks. Add in a stellar performance from true freshman D’Angelo Ponds and it is easy to see why the Dukes feel like they would have won the Sun Belt Championship, if they were eligible.

The 2023 Sun Belt Champion Troy Trojans would argue that their defense would have proved the Dukes wrong, and they have the players to back it up. Pressure specialist Javon Solomon was 2nd to Green with 43 Total Points and 12 solo sacks in 2023, while Reddy Stewart led all Sun Belt CBs with 62 Total Points.

Specialists

With strong specialists from multiple schools in the Sun Belt this year, we leaned on team success to land on Michael Hughes and Ryan Hanson as our top choices. Both were tied for the most Total Points at their position, with 16 and 12, respectively. Both were consistent contributors that aided in their team’s accomplishments.

When looking at returners, Jayden Harrison bounds off the screen when watching him with the ball in his hands. A perpetual threat to take it the distance on every touch, Marshall will look to incorporate the electric receiver more in 2024.

Honorable Mentions

Anyone watching the Sun Belt over the past decade has seen the improvement in both top-tier athletes and sustainable depth in talent. It is no surprise to see some excellent college football players find themselves on this list. Sam Pinckney, in particular, is someone that easily could have been the second WR on our list. His 26 Total Points were only eclipsed by Elijah Surratt and Pinckney played as a true WR1 for CCU.

Defense was the theme of the Sun Belt in 2023 and we see why with this list. James Carpenter was increments away from supplanting his teammate, Jamree Kromah, on this list. Carpenter’s 42 Total Points are only one off and they were a dynamic duo when playing together. Another player that was ousted by a teammate is Richard Jibunor. His 38 Total Points were good for 4th among Sun Belt EDGEs, and he complimented fellow rusher Javon Solomon to bring havoc to passers.

Check out this year’s NFL Draft site to see how we feel some of these players project to the NFL.

Total Points, stats, and ranks as of 3/26/2023