The Sports Inquirer

Release from Georgia State Athletics:

Wide receiver Donovan Harden was a first-team selection on the All-Sun Belt Conference Football Team, while tight end Joel Ruiz and linebacker Joseph Peterson were second-team honorees, as selected by the league’s head coaches and media.

Quarterback Nick Arbuckle, receivers LynQuez Blair and Robert Davis and center Tim Wynn earned honorable mention recognition. Arbuckle was also tabbed to the All-Newcomer team.

Harden, a junior from Rialto, Calif., and a transfer from Illinois State, led the Panthers with 60 catches for 885 yards and seven touchdowns. The Biletnikoff Award Watch List member is third in the Sun Belt in touchdowns and receiving yards and fifth in receptions per game. The highlight of his season was his school-record performance of 11 receptions for 186 yards and four touchdowns against Georgia Southern.

Harden is the second straight Panther receiver to earn first-team All-Sun Belt recognition, following current Kansas City Chief Albert Wilson in 2013.

Ruiz developed into one of the nation’s top tight ends in his first season with the Panthers after tranferring from Presbyterian. The junior from Kingsland, Ga., caught 39 passes for 478 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games and was tabbed to the John Mackey Award Watch List. In his GSU debut, he caught seven passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns in GSU’s season-opening win over Abilene Christian and was named John Mackey Tight End of the Week.

Peterson, the Panthers’ career tackling leader, led the team in tackles for the third straight year, despite missing two games to injury. The junior from Dothan, Ala., ranked third in the Sun Belt with 9.7 tackles per game, along with four tackles for loss, including three sacks, one interception, one pass breakup and a forced fumble. He earns second-team All-Sun Belt honors this year after honorable mention accolades a year ago.

Arbuckle, the junior college transfer from Pierce (Calif.) College, leads the Sun Belt in passing yards per game (273.6, 15th NCAA) and touchdown passes (23, 23rd NCAA) and is second in total offense per game (274.4). He set Georgia State season records for passing yards (3,283), completions (259) and touchdown passes and is already the Panthers’ career leader in all three categories.

Blair, a senior from Swainsboro, Ga., is the Panthers’ second-leading receiver with 52 receptions for 536 yards and six touchdowns. He finished on a strong note with 22 catches and three touchdowns over his final three games.

Right behind Blair is Davis with 50 catches for 732 yards and three touchdowns. The sophomore from Warner Robins, Ga., is the third-leading receiver in Georgia State history with 94 receptions for 1,443 yards and six touchdowns

Wynn, a senior from Atlanta, is the last remaining Panther who played in Georgia State’s inaugural season of 2010. He is a three-year starter on the offensive line who moved from guard to center midway through his junior season.