A year after Southern Miss football garnered no individual preseason awards and won just a single game, the Golden Eagles were well represented in the conference’s 2025 pre-kickoff superlatives.
Five members of the black and gold, including three newcomers, were named to preseason All-Sun Belt teams.
Redshirt senior quarterback Braylon Braxton led the charge, garnering first team honors and being named the 2025 Sun Belt Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Joining Braxton on the first team were graduate senior Brodarius Lewis, defensive back Josh Moten, and return specialist Ian Foster. Tight end Kyirin Heath was named to the second team.
Braxton, who led Marshall to the 2024 Sun Belt title under new Southern Miss coach Charles Huff, is also the reigning Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year. The Frisco, Texas native amassed 1,624 yards in eight starts for the Thundering Herd last season, along with 610 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, and 19 passing touchdowns to just two interceptions.
Lewis, one of the few holdovers from the 2024 roster, was the leading tackler on the defensive line with 39, including 19 solos, four sacks, and eight tackles for loss.
Moten, an All-Sun Belt honorable mention selection at Marshall last season, was tied for third in the FBS with five interceptions.
Foster landed on the All-Sun Belt First Team after the 2024 season in which he led the country in return yard average, posting 16 kick returns for 518 yards. The Alabama native also led the FBS in both 50-plus-yard and 40-plus-yard kickoff returns.
Heath, who transferred to Southern Miss after spending the first two years of his career at Ole Miss, caught 15 passes for 220 and two touchdowns in four starts for the black and gold in 2024.
Media members and coaches voted Southern Miss to finish fifth in the West Division, while James Madison received the most first place votes (11), with Louisiana and Texas State tied for the second-most top votes at six each.
Huff, along with Braxton and sophomore linebacker Chris Jones, will head to New Orleans and appear in front of the media at 2025 Sun Belt Media Days on Tuesday.
