The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Mississippi using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from Mississippi set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 20#19 (tie). Gavin Howard (WR)
- National rank: #613 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #91
- College: not committed
- Offers: Auburn, Georgia Tech, Jackson State, Jacksonville State, Louisiana
- High school: Holmes County Central (Lexington, MS)
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2 / 20#19 (tie). O'Mari Johnson (ATH)
- National rank: #613 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #46
- College: not committed
- Offers: Tulane, North Carolina, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Florida State
- High school: Jackson Academy (Jackson, MS)
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3 / 20#18. Iverson McCoy (CB)
- National rank: #555 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #43
- College: Ole Miss
- Offers: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn
- High school: Tupelo (Tupelo, MS)
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4 / 20#17. Zayion Cotton (WR)
- National rank: #462 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #67
- College: Mississippi State
- Offers: Mississippi State, NC State, Alcorn State, Arkansas, Arkansas State
- High school: Grenada (Grenada, MS)
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5 / 20#16. Micah Nickerson (Edge)
- National rank: #427 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #43
- College: Missouri
- Offers: Missouri, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tulane
- High school: South Pike (Magnolia, MS)
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6 / 20#15. Donel Robinson (IOL)
- National rank: #376 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #29
- College: Baylor
- Offers: Baylor, Florida State, Arkansas State, Arkansas State, Auburn
- High school: Holmes County (Lexington, MS)
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7 / 20#14. Bryson Cooley (OT)
- National rank: #344 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #34
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Mississippi State, Alabama, Baylor, Colorado State
- High school: West Jones (Laurel, MS)
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8 / 20#13. Dereon Albert (DL)
- National rank: #325 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #40
- College: Tennessee
- Offers: Tennessee, North Carolina, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn
- High school: Jackson Academy (Jackson, MS)
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9 / 20#12. Emanuel Tucker (OT)
- National rank: #276 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #26
- College: Ole Miss
- Offers: Ole Miss, LSU, Arkansas State, Auburn, Florida
- High school: New Albany (New Albany, MS)
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10 / 20David Lee // Shutterstock
11 / 20#10. Tylan Wilson (S)
- National rank: #228 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #20
- College: Texas A&M
- Offers: Texas A&M, Arkansas, Clemson, Alabama, Arkansas State
- High school: Pascagoula (Pascagoula, MS)
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12 / 20#9. Preston Ashley (S)
- National rank: #222 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #19
- College: Colorado
- Offers: Colorado, Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, Florida
- High school: Brandon (Brandon, MS)
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13 / 20#8. JaReylan McCoy (DL)
- National rank: #184 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #24
- College: Florida
- Offers: Florida, Ole Miss, Alabama, Alcorn State, Arkansas
- High school: Tupelo (Tupelo, MS)
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14 / 20#7. Xavier McDonald (WR)
- National rank: #183 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #28
- College: Sacramento State
- Offers: Sacramento State, LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama, Arkansas
- High school: Morton (Morton, MS)
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15 / 20Pell Studio // Shutterstock
16 / 20#5. Damarius Yates (RB)
- National rank: #102 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #9
- College: Ole Miss
- Offers: Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Mississippi State
- High school: Kemper County (De Kalb, MS)
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17 / 20#4. TJ White (LB)
- National rank: #68 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #3
- College: Tennessee
- Offers: Tennessee, Mississippi State, Florida State, Auburn, North Carolina
- High school: Jackson Academy (Jackson, MS)
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18 / 20#3. Nolan Wilson (DL)
- National rank: #60 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #7
- College: Alabama
- Offers: Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas A&M
- High school: Picayune Memorial (Picayune, MS)
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19 / 20#2. Bralan Womack (S)
- National rank: #19 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #1
- College: Auburn
- Offers: Auburn, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Florida
- High school: Hartfield Academy (Flowood, MS)
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