NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference today announced its 2024 all-conference selections, which included eight Bobcats led by Ismail Mahdi with a pair of honors highlighted by a first-team selection. In addition to its player of the year awards, the league honors first, second and third team offense, defense and special teams, as well as honorable mention selections.
 
Ismail Mahdi | JR | RB/AP | Murphy, Texas | First-Team Offense, Second-Team All-Purpose
Mahdi led the Bobcats through the regular season with 991 rushing yards off 183 carries, while adding four touchdowns. The junior registered 195 receiving yards with a pair of TDs and 197 yards off nine kick returns, good for a team-leading 1,383 all-purpose yards. Mahdi ranks third in the Sun Belt and 29th nationally in all-purpose yards, while his rushing yards rank 37th in the FBS.
 
Mahdi has four 100-yard rushing games in 2024, including a season-high 164 yards in the Bobcats' win over Arkansas State to give him the first of two consecutive games to eclipse the century mark. In the match-up with Sam Houston, Mahdi registered a season-high 100 kick return yards.
 
The junior was a first team all-purpose player in 2023, while earning second-team accolades as a return specialist.
 
Joey Hobert | SR | WR | San Clemente, Calif. | Second-Team Offense
In only 11 games played in 2024, Hobert was TXST's leading receiver, catching 66 passes for 661 yards and a team-best eight TDs earning his second straight second-team selection. Hobert has five games with 75+ receiving yards, posting a season-high 101 against Arkansas State. The senior ranks in the top five of the conference in receiving TDs and receptions per game, while ranking in the top 10 for receiving yards and receiving yards per game. Hobert is currently riding a 34-game reception streak.
 
Hobert's campaign puts him on the Bobcats' single season top 10 lists for receptions and receiving TDs.
 
Jordan McCloud | SR | QB | Tampa, Fla. | Third-Team Offense
A standout at the national level, McCloud ranks top four in the FBS for passing TDs (29) and points responsible for (220) and ninth for completion percentage (69.6%), all totals that lead the SBC. The senior is 247-for-355 passing for 2,920 yards and a TXST single-season record 29 passing TDs. His five 300+ yard passing games lead the SBC, and he registered six games with at least one passing and rushing TD.
 
In the TXST record books, McCloud also sits atop the list for TDs responsible for in a season with 36, while he is top 10 for season completions, attempts, passing yards and total offense (3,196). This is the second season for McCloud to earn All-Sun Belt honors and first as a Bobcat.
 
Alex Harkey | JR | OL | Austin, Texas | Third-Team Offense  
Harkey was part of an offensive line that helped TXST to national rankings of sixth in total offense (474.3), 11th in scoring offense (37.1), 16th in rushing offense (208.8) and 29th in passing offense (265.5). The total and scoring offense numbers led the Sun Belt through the regular season. The Bobcats also rank second nationally in first down offense (313). Harkey and honorable mention selection Nash Jones were part of a unit that saw all five players start every game in 2024.
 
The Bobcats had four players earn honorable mention selections, including Jones, wide receiver Kole Wilson, defensive end Steven Parker and cornerback Jordan Polk.
 
Joining Harkey and the success of the offensive line, Jones has started 51 games across five seasons of college football, the highest total for a Bobcat. He has formally accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl. Wilson earned his second-consecutive Sun Belt honorable mention selection after ending the season with 43 receptions for a total of 630 yards and four touchdowns. Parker, featured in eight games this season, finished the season with 29 total tackles, 9 TFLs and 5 sacks. Polk, in his first season with Texas State, gathered 60 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles (21st FBS) and 1 sack in his 12-game campaign.

Complete List of 2024 Postseason Teams
 
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Mike Green, Marshall (RS So., DL – Williamsburg, Va.)
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana (RS Sr., QB – Pleasanton, Calif.)
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)
 
Newcomer of the Year
Braylon Braxton, Marshall (RS Jr., QB – Frisco, Texas)
 
Freshman of the Year
Ahmad Hardy, ULM (Fr., RB – Monticello, Miss.)
 
Coach of the Year
Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana