Playing both sides of the line is typically normal in high school football. But playing both sides consistently is a challenge in itself. Heading into the MHSAA and MAIS 2024 football season, here are the top athletes in Mississippi.
Players are listed in alphabetical order.
Amarion Brown
Yazoo City
6-1, 180 | Senior
Brown, a three-star recruit according to 247Sports has offers from Jackson State, Wright State, Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State.
Issac Day
West Tallahatchie
5-11, 200 | Senior
Day had 1,450 rushing yards on 115 carries for 16 touchdowns, 129 passing yards and 22 total tackles last season.
Jakarius Fields
Northside
6-0, 175 | Senior
The three-star recruit had 35 receptions for 480 yards and seven touchdowns with 58 total tackles, one sack and two interceptions. Fields has offers from Memphis, Coahoma College, Hinds College and Wright State.
Braishun Forbes
Murrah
6-3, 200 | Senior
Forbes, a three-star recruit, had 894 receiving yards last season with 55 receptions, nine touchdowns and rotates between linebacker and defensive back. He has offers from UT Martin, Central State, and Jones College.
Eddie George
Simmons
5-8, 160 | Senior
George had 1,326 rushing yards with eight touchdowns on 110 carries in 2023. He also recorded 56 total tackles.
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Gavin Howard
Holmes County Central
5-10, 175 | Junior
Howard, a three-star recruit, recorded 766 receiving yards, 65 rushing yards, 1,644 total return yards and 34 tackles. Howard has offers from Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and Jackson State.
Chris Nunley
Falkner
5-10, 175 | Senior
Last season, Nunley had 555 rushing yards on 50 carries, 1,139 receiving yards with 57 receptions, 124 passing yards, 79 total tackles with 59 solo and 18 total touchdowns.
Gavin Pargo
Nettleton
5-11, 170 | Junior
Pargo had 768 receiving yards with six touchdowns and 49 receptions. He also had 32 total tackles with three interceptions.
Bernard Parker Jr.
Philadelphia
5-11, 180 | Senior
Parker, a Jones College commit, had 982 Passing yards with 15 touchdowns, 425 rushing yards with 10 touchdowns, 64 total tackles two sacks and 1,407 all purpose yards.
Major Quin
Jackson Prep
5-10, 180 | Senior
An Air Force commit, Quin had 34 receptions for 604 yards, 328 total return yards and 34 total tackles in helping lead the Patriots to the MAIS Class 6A title game.
Royale Shelvy
Jefferson County
6-1, 180 | Senior
In 2023, Shelvy produced 1,098 receiving yards with 66 completions, 404 rushing yards with 47 carries, 17 total tackles, one interception and 20 total touchdowns.
Darrell Smith
Picayune
5-9, 170 | Senior
Smith had 1,087 rushing yards with 124 carries and 15 touchdowns, 194 receiving yards with three touchdowns and 14 tackles last season.
Deuce Vance
Hattiesburg
5-11, 180 | Senior
The three-star recruit who plays quarterback and cornerback has offers from Buffalo, Arkansas St, South Alabama, Toledo and Miami (OH).
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Kenzy West
Hartfield Academy
6-1, 185 | Senior
West, a three-star recruit, helped lead Hartfield to a MAIS Class 6A state championship while recording 915 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns and 1,368 return yards. West also had 22 tackles with four interceptions and has offers from Ole Miss, Arkansas, LSU and Texas A&M.
Sharroid Whitehead
Ocean Springs
5-9, 175 | Junior
In six games, the three-star recruit had 48 receiving yards and 43 rushing yards and 92 return yards. Whitehead has offers from Tennessee, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Florida State, Penn State and Kansas State.
Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Top MHSAA, MAIS football players in 2024? Top Mississippi athletes
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