Eight Dukes Named to Phil Steele’s 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison had eight student-athletes honored on the Phil Steele Magazine 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team, highlighted by four members on the First Team.

Headlining the preseasons awards for JMU were running back George Pettaway, offensive linemen Tyler Brown and Zach Greenberg and defensive lineman Kells Bush, who claimed First Team accolades.

Joining the JMU quartet as Second Team honorees were edge rusher Amar Thomas and wide receiver Corey Scott. Rounding out JMU on the Third Team were linebacker Nakian Jackson and cornerback Ken Willis.

This is the second straight season that Pettaway and Greenberg were honored in the preseason by Phil Steele. Greenberg was also a Second Team All-Sun Belt honoree following the 2025 season, while Thomas was an Honorable Mention selection.

For two JMU newcomers in Brown and Scott, both own postseason honors from previous stops. Brown was a 2022 Third Team FCS All-American and a two-time First Team All-SWAC member at Jackson State, while Scott was a two-time All-Gulf South Conference selection and a 2025 Division II Honorable Mention All-American at West Florida.

The official preseason all-conference team from the Sun Belt Conference will be unveiled by the league ahead of Sun Belt Football Media Days, which takes place July 15-16 in New Orleans.

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