FRISCO, Texas – McNeese seniors
Cyron Sutton,
Darion Dunn and
Cory McCoy have all been named to the 2020 All-Southland Conference Preseason Football Team, the league office announced on Wednesday. The preseason all-conference teams were presented by Hercules Tires.
Sutton earned two spots on the team having been named to the first team at wide receiver and second team punt returner while Dunn was named to the first team at defensive back and McCoy on the second team at defensive back.
Both Sutton and Dunn picked up postseason honors at their respective positions after the 2019 season and Dunn has already been named a preseason All-American by HERO Sports.
In 2019, Sutton led the Cowboys in both receptions (67) and receiving yards (950), breaking the single-season school record in catches. He also pulled in nine touchdown passes and recorded 100 or more yards receiving four times and double-digit catches twice, including a single-game school record 13 grabs against Central Arkansas.
In the return game, Sutton averaged 7.7 yards on 18 punt returns, ranking second in the conference.
Dunn led the Cowboys and ranked tied for second in the conference with five pass interceptions in 2019, ranked fifth in the league with 11 pass break-ups and third with 16 total passes defended. He started all 12 games and finished the year with 42 total tackles.
McCoy tied for the conference lead with 18 passes defended including a conference-best 15 pass break-ups to go along with three interceptions. He ended the season tied for sixth on the team with 48 total tackles with 38 of those solos.
Central Arkansas led the way with eight first team selections and 13 overall. Sam Houston State followed with nine picks on the two teams, Nicholls with eight and six each for HBU and Southeastern Louisiana.
McNeese and ACU each had four selections while Lamar garnered three picks. UIW, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin each earned two spots.
Returning all-conference selections from the previous season are automatically named to the preseason all-conference teams and may advance to higher team slots if they are vacated by non-returning players. Open positions are nominated and voted upon by the league's head coaches.
The 2020 preseason poll will be released next Wednesday, July 22, as part of the Southland Conference Football Virtual Kickoff presented by Levy Marketing.
First Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Breylin Smith* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Conway, Ark. |
| RB |
Julien Gums* |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| RB |
Donovan Williams* |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Paris, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Branden Hohenstein |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Jackson, Neb. |
| WR |
Lujuan Winningham* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Humble, Texas |
| WR |
Dai'Jean Dixon* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| WR |
Cyron Sutton* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| OL |
P.J. Burkhalter* |
Nicholls |
R-Sr. |
Franklinton, La. |
| OL |
Colby Thomas* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Manvel, Texas |
| OL |
Jair Joseph* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Belle Rose, La. |
| OL |
Jaylen Hendrix* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Everman, Texas |
| OL |
Toby Sanderson* |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Edmond, Okla. |
| PK |
Bailey Giffen* |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Bryan, Texas |
| P |
Matt McRobert* |
Sam Houston State |
R-Sr. |
Berowra, Australia |
First Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Trace Mascorro* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Refugio, Texas |
| DL |
Joseph Wallace* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| DL |
Nathan Grant* |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Carrollton, Texas |
| DL |
Kameron Hill* |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Fresno, Texas |
| LB |
Alexis Ramos* |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Salinas, Calif. |
| LB |
TJ Campbell* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Southaven, Miss. |
| LB |
Ja'Quay Pough* |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Sherman, Texas |
| DB |
Ferlando Jordan* |
Southeastern Louisiana |
R-Jr. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| DB |
Robert Rochell* |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Shreveport, La. |
| DB |
Michael Lawson* |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Patterson, Calif. |
| DB |
Darion Dunn* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Oakdale, La. |
| DB |
Kevin Moore III* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Lafayette, La. |
| KR |
Cameron Myers* |
Central Arkansas |
R-So. |
Plant City, Fla. |
| PR |
Michael Lawson* |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Patterson, Calif. |
Second Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Bailey Zappe |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Victoria, Texas |
| RB |
Billy McCrary |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Temple, Texas |
| RB |
Dreshawn Minnieweather |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Mesquite, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Matt DeBlaiso |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Seaford, N.Y. |
| TE/HB |
Jack Short |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Bentonville, Ark. |
| WR |
Tyler Hudson* |
Central Arkansas |
So. |
Spring, Texas |
| WR |
Xavier Gipson* |
Stephen F. Austin |
So. |
Dallas, Texas |
| WR |
Ben Ratzlaff* |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
| WR |
Jerreth Sterns* |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Waxahachie, Texas |
| WR |
Austin Mitchell* |
Southeastern Louisiana |
R-Sr. |
Plaquemine, La. |
| OL |
Eleasah Anderson |
Sam Houston State |
R-Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| OL |
Mikhail Hill |
Nicholls |
R-Jr. |
Gretna, La. |
| OL |
Jeremiah James |
Nicholls |
R-So. |
New Orleans, La. |
| OL |
Drew Jones |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Des Allemands, La. |
| OL |
Kade Parmelly |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Abilene, Texas |
| PK |
Hayden Ray* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Bryant, Ark. |
| P |
Blake Patterson* |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Round Rock, Texas |
Second Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Jevon Leon* |
Sam Houston State |
So. |
Houston, Texas |
| DL |
A'Javius Brown |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Jackson, Miss. |
| DL |
Josh Carr Jr. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| DL |
J.W. Jones |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Rayville, La. |
| LB |
Kelechi Anyalabechi* |
UIW |
Jr. |
Pearland, Texas |
| LB |
Caleb Johnson |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
| LB |
Evan Veron |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
LaPlace, La. |
| DB |
Zyon McCollum* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Galveston, Texas |
| DB |
Cory McCoy* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Leesville, La. |
| DB |
Shemar Bartholomew* |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| DB |
Jaylon Jimmerson* |
UIW |
So. |
Pittsburg, Texas |
| DB |
Jaylen Thomas* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
| KR |
Xavier Gipson* |
Stephen F. Austin |
So. |
Dallas, Texas |
| PR |
Cyron Sutton* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
*
Automatic selection; returning all-conference player
