The Man in the Middle Leading the GSU Defense

Meet Each of Georgia State's 22 Returning Starters

The anchor of the Georgia State defense is fifth-year senior noseguard Dontae Wilson. A "super senior" who returns for an extra year of eligibility, Wilson is one of the top defensive linemen in the Sun Belt Conference.

He is also one of 22 returning starters for the Panthers, including nine starters back from a defensive unit that ranked No. 7 in FBS with a program-record 35 sacks. The defense enters 2021 with momentum after holding opponents to averages of 19.0 points and 322.0 yards of total offense over the final four games.

The return of so many talented veterans like Wilson makes for a highly-anticipated fall at Georgia State. Season tickets for the 2021 season are on sale now and can be purchased/renewed by visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com/TIX or calling 404-413-4160.

Wilson is a three-year starter and two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection who ranks fourth in Georgia State history with 8.5 career sacks and sixth with 19.5 tackles for loss. He was a 2020 team captain and third-team All-Sun Belt Conference honoree, when he led a GSU defense that held four opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing, including season-low 40 yards in win over Troy.

Wilson, who has helped the Panthers to three bowl games in four years, also earned All-Sun Belt honors in 2019. One of his highlights that year was a career-high 10 tackles in the win over Army, the team that returns to Atlanta on Sept. 4 for the season opener at Center Parc Stadium.

With everything that Wilson has contributed to the Georgia State defense over the last four years, he got a chance to show off his offensive skills in this year's spring game, when scored a touchdown on a goal-line play.

Hailing from Jefferson, Ga., Wilson is an outdoorsman who enjoys hunting and fishing.

MORE ON GEORGIA STATE FOOTBALL

Head coach Shawn Elliott's squad returns 22 of 24 starters, including all 11 starters from an offensive unit that averaged a school-record 33.3 points per game, nine starters from a GSU defense that ranked No. 7 in FBS with a program-record 35 sacks, and their placekicker and punter.

The 2020 LendingTree Bowl champions welcome back 12 All-Sun Belt Conference players, led by first-team selections in left guard Shamarious Gilmore and placekicker Noel Ruiz, as well as the LendingTree Bowl Most Valuable Player in quarterback Cornelious Brown IV, along with numerous other playmakers on both sides of the ball.

GSU will enter the 2021 season on a three-game winning streak after ending 2020 with victories over South Alabama, Georgia Southern and Western Kentucky in the LendingTree Bowl.

The Panthers will face the most exciting and challenging schedule in program history with non-conference games against Army, North Carolina, Auburn and Charlotte along with a Sun Belt Conference slate that features three straight road games against rival Georgia Southern and 2020 co-champions Coastal Carolina and Louisiana.

GSU will play seven teams that played in bowl games, including six foes who won eight or more games in 2020.

Georgia State has earned back-to-back bowl berths and posted consecutive winning seasons for the first time in program history. The Panthers have earned three bowl berths in the last four seasons.

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Players Mentioned

#75 Shamarious Gilmore: G; 6' 3"; Redshirt Senior

#92 Noel Ruiz: PK; 5' 11"; Senior

#52 Dontae Wilson: NG; 6' 0"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#75 Shamarious Gilmore
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Senior
: G

#92 Noel Ruiz
: 5' 11"; Senior
: PK

#52 Dontae Wilson
: 6' 0"; Senior
: NG

Players Mentioned

#75 Shamarious Gilmore

#92 Noel Ruiz

#52 Dontae Wilson

Players Mentioned

#75 Shamarious Gilmore

#92 Noel Ruiz

#52 Dontae Wilson