Insider notes on Sun Belt Conference: Grading top prospects ft. Troy's Rara Thomas, Marshall's Toby Payne, and more

As with many of the other non-Power 4 conferences, the Sun Belt finds itself in a difficult position. As the league itself has become more competitive and added better players, it cannot compete with the major schools, which ultimately use the conference as a breeding ground to steal talent via the transfer portal.

In a bit of irony, the only player drafted out of the conference last April was Mike Green, who transferred from Virginia after being dismissed by the program. History could repeat itself, as the league’s top prospect is a Georgia transfer who was dismissed by his former school last year.

The top-rated prospects in the conference are pass catchers, including one who is highly considered in the scouting community.

Last summer, receiver Rara Thomas was given a middle-round grade from scouts after a terrific 2023 campaign. A nice-sized pass catcher with better-than-average speed, Thomas displayed a lot of athleticism on the field and routinely made the difficult reception.

He was one of Carson Beck’s most reliable targets and, unlike many of his receiver teammates, didn’t drop passes. Yet his 2024 season never came to be, as Thomas was dismissed from Georgia after being charged with multiple counts and variations of family violence.

Thomas was eventually sentenced to 24 months of probation after entering into a plea deal and has taken his game to Troy. He has next-level ability, but he must regain his prior playing level and answer a lot of uncomfortable questions in the lead-up to the 2026 NFL draft.

Toby Payne of Marshall is a sure-handed tight end with big-play ability. He’s built more like a big possession wideout, though he comes with growth potential. Payne caught just 17 passes last year and must elevate his game.

Production is also something that River Helms of Georgia Southern must improve. Last year at Western Kentucky, he caught only 19 passes in the Hilltoppers’ aerial offense, yet he showed a lot of athleticism and potential.

Helms is bigger than Payne and has shown himself to be more of a downfield threat. The move to Georgia Southern is an interesting one, as the Eagles offense relies more on the run compared to Western Kentucky’s.

Dorian Strawn of Texas State is a fluid left tackle with nice length and agility. He easily slides off the edge in pass protection and quickly moves to the second level blocking in motion. Strawn needs to improve his strength, as he struggles finishing blocks, though he looks as though he has growth potential.

Georgia State receiver Ted Hurst is a nice-sized possession wideout with long arms, big hands and a reliable game. He’s an underneath wideout for Sundays, yet he doesn’t come with a large upside.

Linebacker Jason Henderson is a dominant run defender who totaled 170 tackles in 2023 after 186 tackles the prior season. He was graded as a potential late-round pick entering last season, but he played only one game before being lost with a knee injury. He has size limitations, yet his intensity and head for the ball are attractive.

Sun Belt Prospects
Grade	Round	Full Name	School	Pos	Yr	#
3.42	5th	Rara Thomas	Troy	WR	4Jr	11
3.36	6th	Toby Payne	Marshall	TE	4Jr	81
3.28	7th	River Helms	Georgia Southern	TE	5Sr	87
3.27	7-FA	Dorian Strawn	Texas State	T	5Sr	65
3.26	FA	Ted Hurst	Georgia State	WR	4Sr	16
3.14	FA	Ethan Conner	Troy	TE	5Sr	14
3.1	FA	Jason Henderson	Old Dominion	ILB	5Sr	42
3.04	FA	Jameson Tucker	Coastal Carolina	WR	4Sr	8
3.03	FA	Josh Moten	Southern Mississippi	CB	5Sr	1
3.02	FA	Thomas Davis	Appalachian State	OLB	5Sr	15
3.02	FA	Nick DeGennaro	James Madison	WR	5Sr	11
3.02	FA	Kentrel Bullock	South Alabama	RB	4Sr	3
3.01	FA	Kyirin Heath	Southern Mississippi	TE	4Sr	88
3	FA	Rashod Dubinion	Appalachian State	RB	4Sr	7
2.98	FA	Xavier Holmes	James Madison	DE	5Sr	9
2.95	FA	Cameron Whitfield	Louisiana	OLB	5Sr	9
2.94	FA	Bryan Whitehead	Arkansas State	DE	5Sr	4
2.93	FA	Corey Rucker	Arkansas State	WR	5Sr	7
2.93	FA	Chance Gamble	Georgia Southern	CB	5Sr	31
2.9	FA	Jabari Ishmael	Southern Mississippi	DE	5Sr	15
2.9	FA	Devin Voisin	South Alabama	WR	6Sr	1
2.89	FA	Jaden Dugger	Louisiana	OLB	4Sr