The Solar Belt is loaded with expertise amongst their high returning gamers in 2022. One in all college football‘s finest linebackers returns to Troy. The No. 6 quarterback in our national rankings returns to Coastal Carolina. And a little-known cornerback who led the nation in a bevy of metrics returns to South Alabama. It’s a stacked convention race in 2022.
For every Solar Belt crew’s high returning gamers: Appalachian State | Arkansas State | Coastal Carolina | Georgia Southern | Georgia State | James Madison | Louisiana | Louisiana-Monroe | Marshall | Old Dominion | South Alabama | Southern Miss | Texas State | Troy
Prime 10 returning gamers to the Solar Belt
Whereas we had been counting down each faculty’s high 10 returning gamers, a pure circulation developed as every participant started to stack up towards their convention foes. Whereas we’ll launch our All-Convention groups a bit later, let’s take a sneak peek into simply who stands out as the high total gamers returning to each convention in 2022. Up subsequent: the Solar Belt.
10) Javon Solomon, EDGE, Troy
It’s worthwhile to know who Javon Solomon is. He burst onto the scene over the previous two years with documented success off the sting. He’s a game-wreaker with terrific pass-rushing abilities. Solomon has great athleticism and an unbelievable motor in Troy’s protection that ought to be among the best within the Group of 5.
9) Steven Gilmore, CB, Marshall
With an NFL pedigree and draft aspirations, Steven Gilmore is again to return to high kind in 2022. Gilmore is a sticky cornerback with new-age prototypical measurement. He’s lengthy and highly effective with loads of pace to stay with any kind of receiver. He’ll anchor a brand new period of Marshall soccer as they enterprise into the Solar Belt this yr.
8) Kris Thornton, WR, James Madison
Welcome to main school soccer, James Madison. And welcome world, to the 1,000-yard receiver that’s Kris Thornton. An enormous-play risk, Thornton is a harmful man with the ball in his palms. He wins on the catch level and is a risk to take it the space anytime he touches it. Thornton wins all over the place on the sphere and is a reputation to know forward of the 2022 season.
7) Josaiah Stewart, EDGE, Coastal Carolina
One of many high defensive playmakers from a season in the past, Josaiah Stewart returns after ending with high marks throughout the nation in sacks and complete pressures. Stewart can’t be stopped by anybody man within the Solar Belt and infrequently requires double-teams and schemes to sluggish him down. Stewart was one of many high freshmen from final yr and may repeat that feat as a sophomore in 2022.
6) Steven Jones Jr., CB, App State
The nation’s chief in interceptions final yr, Steven Jones scored extra touchdowns than most receivers did final yr together with his capacity after nabbing picks. Jones is a dramatic playmaker but performs a secure model of soccer. He doesn’t let a lot go by him, and he’s sticky in protection. Jones additionally performs a glorious model of all-around soccer, pushing working backs into the center of the sphere and blowing up outdoors speeding lanes all the identical.
5) Zack Kuntz, TE, Previous Dominion
An enormous man roams the sphere for ODU in 2022. Zack Kuntz is a menacing determine at 6’8″ and may dominate the Solar Belt’s linebackers and safeties who attempt to cowl him. As ODU transitions to the Solar Belt, Kuntz can be a key determine to as soon as once more make game-clinching receptions or drive-extending catches over the center of the sphere.
4) Rasheen Ali, RB, Marshall
The nation’s chief in speeding touchdowns in 2021 embarks on a brand new convention as Marshall and Rasheen Ali head to the Solar Belt. Ali was dominant as a freshman and may as soon as once more be the point of interest of the Thundering Herd’s offense. Ali grinds out yards and creates on his personal, discovering even the smallest cracks within the protection to take advantage of them for enormous positive aspects together with his imaginative and prescient, endurance, and burst.
3) Carlton Martial, LB, Troy
The energetic profession chief in complete tackles, Carlton Martial is 79 tackles away from making historical past. He’s simply that many tackles wanting the all-time profession tackles mark set by Luke Kuechly, and together with his common of over 110 tackles per season over the previous 4 years, Martial ought to get there with ease. He is not only a fantastic Solar Belt linebacker — he’s one of many all-time school soccer greats.
2) Darrell Luter Jr., CB, South Alabama
Little do you know, Darrell Luter Jr. led the nation in a bevy of superior metrics final season. He restricted opposing offenses to the worst passer ranking when he was focused: 0.0. Luter additionally allowed the bottom completion proportion in his major protection and the fewest yards per goal. It was a dominant effort for a heavily-targeted cornerback who ultimately noticed the targets dwindle as a result of opposing offenses realized they wouldn’t full something towards him.
1) Grayson McCall, QB, Coastal Carolina
One other energetic profession chief in a statistic, Grayson McCall is the faculty soccer epitome of effectivity. He leads the nation’s energetic quarterbacks and has the career-best quarterback effectivity ranking as he runs the Coastal Carolina offense flawlessly. Yet one more season of dominance is probably going at hand as McCall returns to run the “Massive Teal Machine” once more. McCall is probably going destined for the NFL together with his uncommon mix of accuracy, arm power, moxie, and management abilities.
Honorable point out gamers returning to the Solar Belt in 2022
- Kivon Bennett, EDGE, Arkansas State
- Darren Grainger, QB, Georgia State
- Eric Garror, CB, Louisiana
- Kam Pedescleaux, S, Louisiana
- Jalen Wayne, WR, South Alabama
- Jason Brownlee, WR, Southern Miss
- Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss
- Nick Hampton, EDGE, App State
- D’Jordan Robust, CB, Coastal Carolina
- Isaac Ukwu, EDGE, James Madison
- Ali Jennings III, WR, Previous Dominion
- Keith Gallmon Jr., S, South Alabama
