The linebacker position relatively sees the most hits, tackles and action — which translates to hard-nosed student-athletes. With a few weeks until the kickoff of the MHSAA and MAIS 2024 football season, here are the top linebackers in Mississippi.
Players are listed in alphabetical order.
Kaleb Arterberry
Pearl
6-2, 210 | Senior
Arterberry, a Louisiana Tech commit, is a three-star recruit according to 247Sports Composite and had 108 tackles with 23 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.
Brody Burkley
Starkville Academy
5-10, 160 | Junior
The sophomore produced 132 tackles with seven tackles for loss and five sacks last season.
Marquavious Bradford
Scott Central
5-9, 180 | Senior
Bradford had 159 total tackles with 75 solo, 22.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last season while averaging 12.2 tackles per game.
Quincy Butts Jr.
Columbus
6-1, 215 | Senior
The three-star recruit has offers from Arkansas State, Jackson State and Central Arkansas. He produced 85 total tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks.
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Corxavier Coleman
Louisville
5-10, 180 | Senior
In Louisville’s MHSAA Class 4A state title season, Coleman recorded 128 tackles with 24 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Jack Davidson
West Lauderdale
6-3, 180 | Senior
Davidson produced 128 tackles in 2023 with with 63 solo and six tackles for loss.
Kam Evans
West Lowndes
6-1, 220 | Senior
Evans, a three-star recruit, has offers from Mississippi Valley State, Jackson State, Louisiana-Monroe and Penn.
Titus Fortune
Leake County
6-0, 205 | Sophomore
The freshman had 115 tackles with 67 solo, 12 tackles for loss and averaged 10.5 tackles per game last season.
Blaine Green
George County
5-10, 180 | Senior
Green produced 138 tackles with 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and averaged 11 tackles per game.
Malachi Henderson
Oak Grove
6-1, 210 | Senior
The Southern Miss commit led his team in tackles with 132, five quarterback hits and six tackles for loss while helping the Warriors to a MHSAA 7A title.
Jarcoby Hopson Jr.
Lake Cormorant
6-1, 205 | Senior
Hopson is an Ole Miss commit and is the No. 8 recruit in the state who rotates between linebacker and strong safety. Hopson had 71 tackles last season with seven tackles for loss.
Jakel Irving
Natchez
6-3, 230 | Senior
Irving, a three-star recruit, has offers from Memphis, Marshall, Southern Miss, Troy and Jackson State. Last season he had 83 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
Tyler Lockhart
Winona
6-3, 200 | Senior
Lockhart announced his decommitment from Auburn and is a four-star recruit and the No. 5 recruit in the state. Lockhart helped Winona to its first MHSAA 3A state title and produced 100 tackles with 11 sacks. He holds offers from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Ohio State and Georgia.
Princeton Miller
Mendenhall
6-0, 205 | Senior
in 2023, Miller recorded 133 tackles with 91 solo, 11 tackles for loss and an interception.
Khalil Norwood
Brandon
5-11, 200 | Senior
Norwood recorded 157 total tackles last season with 54 solo, 14 tackles for loss, nine sacks and an interception.
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Jaylon Parnell
Pascagoula
6-1, 220 | Senior
A three-star recruit, Parnell had 99 tackles, four sacks, seven tackles for loss and two interceptions for 130 return yards last season. Parnell has offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Miss and Missouri.
E’kamryn Smith
Noxubee County
5-11, 200 | Senior
The junior led is team in tackles with 138 and 78 solo, including six tackles for loss, five sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Xavier Stowers
Morton
6-2, 200 | Senior
Last season, Stowers had 143 total tackles with 93 solo, 13 tackles for loss and three interceptions.
Devin Tribble
Heidelberg
5-11, 170 | Senior
Tribble had 140 tackles last season, including 10 tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception, helping Heidelberg to the MHSAA Class 2A title game.
Bryson Walters
Itawamba Agricultural
6-2, 220 | Senior
Walters, a three-star recruit, recorded 140 tackles, one interception, two sacks and 17 tackles for loss. He has offers from UT Martin, Jackson State and Southern Miss.
TJ White
Jackson Academy
6-3, 200 | Junior
White, a four-star recruit and the No. 1 linebacker in the state in the Class of 2026, recorded 63 total tackles with 42 solo and six tackles for loss. He has offers from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Baylor, Akron and Arkansas 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 Mississippi high school football players: Best LBs in MHSAA, MAIS
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