Missouri State has added two Associated Press All-Americans to its list of postseason football accolades. Second-team punter Grant Burkett (Joplin, Mo.) and third-team wide receiver Raylen Sharpe (Allen, Texas) were named to the AP FCS All-America Team on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 12).
Burkett finished the season with a league-best 43.97 season punting average, which currently ranks seventh nationally among all FCS players, while he earned All-MVFC honors for the fourth straight season and third straight as a first-teamer. His efforts boosted Missouri State to a No. 8 national ranking in net punting (41.08), while his career punting average (44.1) leads all active FCS punters. On 35 total punts in 2023, 11 were for 50-plus yards, with just one touchback. This is Burkett’s third consecutive season to earn AP All-America honors after being listed as a third-team selection in 2021 and 2022.
Burkett was recently named as a semifinalist for the prestigious FCS Punter of the Year Award.
Sharpe set a new Missouri State single-season receptions record with 73 in just 10 games this year and led the Missouri Valley Football conference in both receptions per game (7.3) and receiving yards per game (99.1). His season yardage was the No. 2 season total in program history, while he was one shy of tying the club record for receiving touchdowns in a season (7). Sharpe ranks third nationally in receiving yards per game, fifth in receptions per game and 23rd in receiving touchdowns. He also ranks 30th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (110.8), which is second in The Valley. It is the first All-America recognition of Sharpe’s career.
Sharpe was also named as an All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team selection this season.
A total of 17 MVFC players are represented on this year’s AP teams with eight different MVFC teams having at least one player named.
Missouri State has now collected 52 AP All-American awards in its football history.
