Star running back lands first big offer as 2026 recruiting catches fire across South MS
Toss a rock in any direction on the Mississippi Coast and you may accidentally hit a coach from a Division I football staff right now.
The 2025 recruiting cycle has run its course and recruiting efforts have pivoted toward the future. South Mississippi is loaded with next-level talent and coaches from all over the country are recruiting area standouts with fervor.
The class of 2026 in particular is especially deep on the Coast. Recruitment has ramped up in the area and the top athletes are seeing scholarship offers roll in.
Highlighting the recent surge of offers is a local star coming off a monster season who finally snagged his first FBS offer.
Green Wave offer comes in for Hurricane star
Jordan Stapleton put together the greatest season of any running back in West Harrison’s brief, but run-heavy history.
The junior was the Coast’s regular season rushing king with 2,003 yards on the ground. Stapleton led the Coast in rushing yards per game with 200.3 and yards per carry with 11.8.
Stapleton received his first FBS offer from Tulane on Feb. 22, handed out by Green Wave running backs coach Brock Hays.
“There’s nobody more deserving,” West Harrison head coach Quincy Patrick told the Sun Herald. “He works his tail off. He’s the first guy in, last guy to leave. He’s just an awesome young man. He’s a fantastic young man and an even better person.”
Stapleton’s first Division I offer came from Jackson State last year and he recently picked up a junior college offer from Pearl River. His head-turning season and rough-running style is what drew the attention of Hays and the Wave, which in turn has brought more eyes on the rising senior.
“(Hays) said he loved my film, loved what I do and loved the style that I play,” Stapleton said. “He said I can fit their scheme. I want to thank God and my O-line because it really jump-started my recruiting. I’ve been talking to a lot more schools now.”
Stapleton said he’s since heard from Louisiana, South Alabama and even Florida State, among others.
The West Harrison workhouse has one more season ahead of him before graduating in December. On top of breaking the school records for single season rushing and scoring — both held by him — Stapleton has lofty goals for the young Hurricanes program.
“I would like to lead my team to the playoffs for the first time in school history,” Stapleton said.
Offers piling in for Coast stars
Sacramento State has been recruiting the region hard under new coach Brennan Marion and just handed D’Iberville defensive lineman Caleb Estrada his first D-I offer.
The Hornets initially had commits from Ocean Springs pair Sharroid Whitehead and Jayden Ross, but both have recently opened their recruiting back up after a flurry of offers have poured in for both.
Whitehead, an athlete who primarily played quarterback, decommitted Monday after receiving offers from Liberty, Cincinnati, Marshall and more.
Ross is an All-South MS offensive lineman who opened his recruitment back up a week before Whitehead. He’s since hauled in offers from Baylor and Liberty and has locked in official visits at Tulane and Memphis. Ross also has offers from Mississippi State, Southern Miss and many others.
The Coast has become a hot spot for FBS coaches looking for offensive linemen and Ross is just one of a few drawing eyes.
Vancleave’s Dalton Toothman is a high-grade three star who has pulled in a number of power conference offers. Those include MSU, LSU, Florida and Auburn. Toothman has official visits planned for MSU and Auburn.
One of the fastest-growing names on the Coast is coming out of the 2027 class in Biloxi lineman Hayden Ainsworth. The tackle has 18 offers as of now, starting with Ole Miss in October. Since then he’s seen offers pile in from MSU, Alabama, Arkansas and more.
There are plenty other Coast athletes who are becoming top recruits at a national level, including Picayune’s Nolan Wilson, Poplarville’s Ty Keys and Pascagoula’s Tylan Wilson.
It all leads to a 2025 season that promises to be an exciting one with talent and depth at an all-time high.
