The 2018 regular season is in the books and the College Football Playoffs are set. With the culmination of the regular season comes PFF's awards and all-conference selections as well as our All-American lists for both the first and second team.
The All-conference selections have been made by each of PFF's leading conference analyst based mainly on PFF's play-by-play grading process for the entire season as well as cumulative grades, game grades against quality opposition, other PFF advanced statistics and playing time.
The All-MAC selections below are headlined by the first team with the second team listed below each position.
For all other all-conference teams: ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC | AAC | C-USA | MWC | MAC | Sun Belt
Time is running out to register for the Eckrich $1 Million Dollar Challenge! Register now for your chance to win. Eckrich – Official Sponsor of the College Football Playoff.
Quarterback
First Team: Justice Hansen, Arkansas State
Hansen dominated the conference in yards, touchdowns and completions while having the most drops by his receivers. He succeeded under pressure as well, with an adjusted completion percentage of 67.7% when pressured.
Second Team: Shai Werts, Georgia Southern
Running Back
First Team: Trey Ragas, Louisiana
Ragas was nearly untouchable with 62 total forced missed tackles this year. His 5.7 yards per carry is more impressive when you consider that 4.15 yards came after contact this season.
Second Team: Marcel Murray, Arkansas State
Running Back
First Team: Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana
Mitchell was the lighting in the Louisiana backfield with a breakaway percentage of 54.3% for the season. He also added 342 yards receiving and receiving grade of 91.1 to compliment 15 total touchdowns.
Second Team: Wesley Kennedy III, Georgia Southern
Wide Receiver
First Team: Damion Willis, Troy
Had a conference-best 3.51 yards per route run among qualified receivers.
Second Team: Corey Sutton, Appalachian State
Wide Receiver
First Team: Ja'Marcus Bradley, Louisiana
Led receivers in the conference with 10 touchdowns on 34 receptions as he was a deep threat as well, catching 47.1% of his deep passes targeted at least 20 yards downfield.
Second Team: Malcolm Williams, Coastal Carolina
Wide Receiver
First Team: Kirk Merritt, Arkansas State
Merrit led the conference in targets (97), catches (74) and yards (922), primarily from the slot. He forced 23 missed tackles on receptions, which was nearly double the next receiver in the conference.
Second Team: Hutch White, Texas State
Tight End
First Team: Keenen Brown, Texas State
No tight end had the success Brown did after the catch this year as he more than doubled the next closest tight end with 24 missed tackles (Trevon Wesco had 11 to finish second). He also finished with the seventh-highest run-blocking grade among FBS tight ends.
Second Team: Khameron Taylor, South Alabama
Offensive Tackle
First Team: Aaron Brewer, Texas State
Brewer allowed only one sack all season while amassing the second-best pass-blocking grade in the conference at 86.2, splitting time between tackle and center.
Second Team: Hunter Atkinson, Georgia State
Offensive Guard
First Team: Kevin Dotson, Louisiana
Dotson allowed four pressures all season to go along with a conference-best run-blocking grade of 74.4 among guards.
Second Team: Ryan Neuzil, Appalachian State
Center
First Team: Noah Hannon, Appalachian State
Hannon was the third-highest graded offensive linemen in the Sun Belt regardless of position this season and had the second-best run-blocking grade in the conference of 76.4.
Second Team: Cole Prudhomme, Louisiana
Offensive Guard
First Team: Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State
Gilmore played more snaps at guard than all but one other player in the conference this season and only allowed seven pressures.
Second Team: Baer Hunter, Appalachian State
Offensive Tackle
First Team: Robert Hunt, Louisiana
Hunt allowed only one sack and one hit this season on 374 pass-blocking snaps for the conference's best pass-blocking efficiency mark at 99.0..
Second Team: Lanard Bonner, Arkansas State
DEFENSE
Edge Defender
First Team: Ronheen Bingham, Arkansas State
Bingham shined as a pass-rusher this year with 61 total pressures, which was almost double the next closest edge defender in the Sun Belt.
Second Team: Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina
Edge Defender
First Team: Raymond Johnson III, Georgia Southern
Johnson III had a well-rounded season this year with 33 pressures to go along with 22 defensive stops.
Second Team: Terry Thomas, Georgia State
Defensive Interior
First Team: Tyree Turner, South Alabama
Turner put up an elite grade against the run this season at 87.1 and led interior defensive linemen with a run stop percentage of 9.7%.
Second Team: Larance Shaw, UL-Monroe
Defensive Interior
First Team: Forrest Merrill, Arkansas State
Merrill he was an effective run defender with 31 stops on 36 tackles against the run this year.
Second Team: Bennie Higgins, Louisiana
Linebacker
First Team: Carlton Martial, Troy
An elite run-defense grade paired with good tackling and a pass-rushing productivity grade of 12.8 (second in the conference) led to an elite grade for the season for Martial.
Second Team: Anthony Flory, Appalachian State
Linebacker
First Team: Bryan London II, Texas State
London shined brightest in coverage with a coverage grade of 85.6 as he also led all linebackers with 96 tackles and 67 defensive stops.
Second Team: Nikolas Daniels, Texas State
Cornerback
First Team: Kindle Vildor, Georgia Southern
Vildor put up elite numbers in coverage, allowing a reception on just over 50.0% of targeted passes and a passer rating of 49.6 when targeted. He recorded four interceptions (most) and had no penalties called against him this season, leading to his selection as Second-Team All-American at cornerback.
Second Team: Marcus Jones, Troy
Cornerback
First Team: Tyler Murray, Troy
Murray did not grade below 75.0 in any defensive metric this season. His passer rating when targeted of 54.9 was third best among cornerbacks.
Second Team: Tae Hayes, Appalachian State
Safety
First Team: Desmond Franklin, Appalachian State
Franklin allowed just 0.31 yards per snap in coverage to pair with four interceptions. His passer rating when targeted (38.4) was the best regardless of position in the conference.
Second Team: Josh Thomas, Appalachian State
Safety
First Team: Austin Exford, Appalachian State
Exford missed only three tackle attempts all season while allowing only nine yards per reception, the second-best mark in the conference.
Second Team: Josh Newman, Texas State
Flex Defense
First Team: Monquavion Brinson, Georgia Southern
Brinson's elite tackling grade of 89.3 and run-defense grade of 90.4 are more impressive when you consider that he's only 180 pounds.
Second Team: Anthony J. Taylor, Texas State
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker
First Team: Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern
Bass was perfect on extra points while also knocking home a conference-best 88.9% of his field goals, including a perfect 7-of-7 from 40-49 yards out.
Second Team: Tyler Sumpter, Troy
Punter
First Team: Cody Grace, Arkansas State
Grace averaged a ridiculous 4.22 seconds of hangtime and allowed his coverage team ample time to actually allow negative yardage on punt returns this year while he knocked 25 inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
Second Team: Charles Ouverson, Coastal Carolina
Kick Returner
First Team: Tra Minter, South Alabama
Minter leads the conference with 712 yards on kick returns as he averaged 24.6 yards per attempt.
Second Team: Raymond Calais, Louisiana
Punt Returner
First Team: Penny Hart, Georgia State
Hart fair caught 31 kickoff attempts but when he got his chance on punt returns, he did his damage to the tune of 17.3 yards per return.
Second Team: Warren Wand, Arkansas State
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.