Meet the Preseason All-South Mississippi High School Football Team for 2021
The 2021 high school football campaign on the Mississippi Gulf Coast should be as loaded with individual talent as any other season in recent memory.
This year’s Preseason All-South Mississippi High School Football Team features four talented juniors who will be lining up at quarterback for their teams — Gautier’s Kaden Irving, Christian Turner of Harrison Central, Pascagoula’s Keilon Parnell and Ocean Springs standout Brayson Hubbard.
There are plenty of FBS prospects who made their year’s squad, but no player is hotter in the eye of college coaches than Gautier offensive lineman Bryson Hurst, who stands 6-foot-6, 320 pounds. He holds at least 13 offers that include Auburn, Florida State, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.
Poplarville defensive end Khalid Moore (Mississippi State), George County defensive back Marquez Dortch (Ole Miss), Larry Simmons (Ole Miss) and Biloxi defensive end R.J. Moss (Mississippi State) are all SEC football commits. St. Martin defensive back/receiver Noreel White is only a sophomore, but he has already verbally pledged to Florida State.
The talent doesn’t stop there, and the members of this year’s Preseason All-South Mississippi Team will give you plenty of reason to make it to a stadium on Friday night.
2021 Preseason All-South Mississippi High School Football Team
OFFENSE
QB — Kaden Irving, Gautier junior — Ole Miss baseball commit earned Region 4-5A Offensive MVP, threw for 2,399 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions as a sophomore.
QB — Christian Turner, Harrison Central junior — Completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 2,248 yards, 27 touchdowns and three interceptions as a sophomore.
FB — D.J. Richardbey, Poplarville senior — Class 4A First-Team All-State, ran for 1,360 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior.
RB — Carlos Brown, Stone High senior — Class 4A Second-Team All-State, ran for 1,469 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior.
RB — Dante Dowdell, Picayune junior — After battling through injuries a year ago, Dowdell is ready for a breakout season.
RB — Noah Cutter, Bay High senior — Ran 123 times for 815 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior.
TE — Oscar Hampton, Vanceave senior — Class 4A First-Team All-State, caught 22 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns.
WR — Larry Simmons, Moss Point senior — Class 4A Second-Team All-State, caught 45 passes for 747 yards and 10 touchdowns picked Ole Miss over Alabama, Auburn and Florida State. Will likely see time at QB this year.
WR — Houston Johnson, Pascagoula senior — Class 5A Second-Team All-State, 41 catches for 700 yards, six touchdowns as a junior
WR — Isaiah Atkins, Harrison Central senior — Caught 42 passes for 642 yards and 10 TDs as a junior.
OL — Robert Cook, D’Iberville senior — Holds scholarship Div. 1 scholarship offers from Central Arkansas and North Alabama.
OL — Tyrus Burton, Pascagoula senior — Class 5A Second-Team All-State in 2020.
OL — Bryson Hurst, Gautier senior — 6-foot-6, 320-pound lineman has offers from Auburn, Florida State, Kentucky and Mississippi State.
OL — Jeremy Flora, Pascagoula junior — 6-foot-5, 340-pound lineman who has plenty of size and potential.
OL — Conner Davis, Poplarville senior — 6-foot-3, 315-pound lineman who is drawing junior college interest.
Athlete — Keilon Parnell, Pascagoula junior — Mississippi State baseball commit, Region 4-5A Player of the Year, threw for 1,348 yards, 13 touchdowns and 5 interceptions; ran 118 times for 779 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Athlete — Brayson Hubbard, Ocean Springs junior — Southern Miss baseball commit, First-Team Region 4-6A; completed 53.2 percent of his passes for 1,022 yards, 7 touchdowns, 4 interceptions; ran 143 times for 1,026 yards and 10 touchdowns.
DEFENSE
DL — Kam Williams, D’Iberville senior — Nicholls State commit; Region 4-6A All-MVP Team, 39 tackles.
DL — Khalid Moore, Poplarville senior — Mississippi State commit; Class 4A First-Team All-State, 80 tackles as a defensive end/linebacker.
DL — R.J. Moss, Biloxi senior — Mississippi State commit; 40 tackles and 5 sacks as a junior.
DL — Joseph Bradford, St. Stanislaus senior — 6-foot-1, 280-pounder who should lead the SSC defensive line.
LB/DE — Jamarious Brown, Moss Point junior — 6-foot-3, 250-pounder who holds offers from Florida State, Ole Miss, Arizona State and Florida.
LB — Raymond Collins, Harrison Central senior — 6-foot-2, 225 pounds; Tallied 98 tackles as a junior; holds multiple junior college offers.
LB — T.J. Dunsford, East Central junior — Had 55 tackles, including 16 for lost yardage in 7 games as a junior.
LB — Jameson Thriffley, St. Patrick senior — 4-year starter, 2-time First-Team All-Region 8-2A.
DB — Marquez Dortch, George County senior — Committed to Ole Miss over Arkansas and Auburn.
DB — Noreel White, St. Martin sophomore — Florida State commit who should feature prominently as a receiver on offense.
DB/LB — Xavion Handford, Gautier senior — Holds five junior college scholarship offers, stands 6-1, 205.
DB — Caleb Williams, D’Iberville senior — Holds offer from Div. II Arkansas-Monticello, had 77 tackles as a junior.
PR/KR — Dayan Bilbo, Vancleave senior — Ran for 1,469 yards and 21 TDs as a junior; averaged 27.8 yards on 12 kick returns.
PR/KR — David Humphries, Ocean Springs senior — Ran for 878 yards and 15 TDs as a junior; averaged 44.8 yards on 6 kickoff returns.
P/K — Gabriel Showalter, St. Martin senior — Averaged 40.8 yards a punt, had 23 touchbacks on 33 kickoffs. He also converted 20 of 20 extra points and 4 of 8 field goals with a long of 41 yards.
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 5:50 AM.
