Here are the top 15 high school football prospects to watch on the MS Coast
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- South Mississippi's Class of 2026 features 12 players in the state’s top 60 prospects.
- Four four-star recruits headline the Coast, led by EDGE Nolan Wilson of Picayune.
- Mississippi State leads in commitments, including top OL Dalton Toothman and Jayden Ross.
The athletic calendar has officially turned over and we’ve arrived in the final month of the year without football.
South Mississippi has long been a fertile ground for Friday night athletes who will eventually star on Saturdays. That hasn’t changed, but the soon-to-shine Class of 2026 may prove to be the beginning of a new era of talent flowing through the region.
Some of the state’s top prospects in the next class hail from the Coast, with more behind them. In the ‘26 class alone, there are 12 players from the Lower Six inside 247sports’ top-60 Mississippi prospects ranking.
With so many names to follow, it’s time to meet the stars of tomorrow’s biggest stages who will dominate the striped turfs of the Mississippi Coast today.
Here are our top 15 all-class prospects for 2025.
1. Class of 2026 EDGE Nolan Wilson, Picayune
Wilson’s high school athletic career began on the soccer pitch before it transitioned to the gridiron. His recruiting ignited as his junior season began, at one point receiving offers from Alabama, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida and Auburn during a two-day window in October.
His natural athleticism and lean frame offer a prime project at one of the sport’s top glamour positions. Wilson has visited Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss and Miami this summer and is expected to choose among that group before his senior season begins.
The consensus four-star prospect recorded 16 tackles for loss, six sacks and forced seven fumbles a year ago.
2. Class of 2027 RB Ty Keys, Poplarville
Keys missed the bulk of Poplarville’s championship season last year as he nursed a shoulder injury, but if his campaign on the diamond this past spring (33 stolen bases) is any indicator, the four-star is full steam ahead for his junior year.
Keys earned MVP of the 4A state title game and finished the season with over 500 rushing yards despite watching eight games from the sidelines. Ole Miss was the first to offer Keys back in 2023 and Mississippi State, Oregon and Penn State quickly followed.
His offer sheet should only expand beyond the dozen-plus that has already arrived with his junior season looming, one where he could find himself spending extended time at quarterback.
3. Class of 2026 DB Tylan Wilson, Pascagoula
Wilson’s length and versatility have long attracted suitors to Pascagoula. At 6-foot-2 and with a basketball frame, Wilson plays every position in the Panthers’ defensive backfield and lines up at wide receiver on occasion.
His ball-tracking skills coupled with a willingness to crowd the box has made him a valuable target for Texas A&M, Clemson and Arkansas, who have all hosted Wilson for official visits this summer.
The four-star safety had a tied-for-Coast-best six interceptions as a junior and added three forced fumbles.
4. Class of 2027 DL Sam LeJeune, Poplarville
A mid-season transfer stemming from a violation of team rules and subsequent suspension at St. Stanislaus largely kept LeJeune off the field as a sophomore, but landed him in the Green and Gold for his junior campaign.
It’s the unmistakable measurables, durability and productivity that has made LeJeune the fourth member of the Coast’s four-star quartet. He tallied 17 hurries, 12.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a freshman for the Rock-a-Chaws while also playing extensively on the offensive line.
LeJeune currently projects as an interior defensive lineman who heads into 2025 with offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Florida State and Arkansas.
5. Class of 2026 OL Dalton Toothman, Vancleave
Toothman is the highest-rated committed prospect on the Coast after verbally committing to Mississippi State in June following an official visit to Starkville. Vancleave’s top-ranked recruit in school history chose the Bulldogs over Ole Miss, Clemson and Auburn after visiting all four this summer.
The rising senior has the 6-foot-5 frame to continue growing into at offensive tackle. The Bulldogs’ balanced approach in 2024 allowed Toothman to showcase his footwork alongside his violent ability to lead, track and destroy downfield.
Toothman plans to enroll early at Mississippi State.
6. Class of 2026 OL Hayden Ainsworth, Biloxi
If the ‘26 class wasn’t already loaded enough, Ainsworth ensured its depth when he reclassified this offseason. The three-star interior lineman was first offered last season by Ole Miss and North Carolina State, but he recently shut down his recruitment by committing to Nebraska in June.
Ainsworth has guard size at 305 lbs. but also possesses the ability to slide outside as an effective pass blocker and edge-sealer at tackle.
7. Class of 2026 OL Mitchell Smith, Picayune
Picayune has its towering edge setter once again after the 6-foot-6 tackle spent his junior season at IMG Academy in Florida. Smith is rated a three-star prospect but has potential to climb the rankings down the stretch.
He’s made his official visits to Vanderbilt, Florida State, Ole Miss and Alabama this summer and has a commitment date set for July 4. Smith has tremendous size and gets the added offseason benefit of training across from Nolan Wilson ahead of his senior year.
8. Class of 2026 ATH Sharroid Whitehead, Ocean Springs
Whitehead has been a popular name on recruiting boards for several years and finally got to show why during his first healthy season in 2025. “Chop” revitalized the Greyhound offense when he took over at quarterback and led Ocean Springs to a district title with over 1,000 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with nearly 700 passing yards and eight more scores.
Whitehead enters his senior season with numerous offers on the table, including one from Colorado picked up in April.
9. Class of 2026 OL Jayden Ross, Ocean Springs
Ross will be teaming up with Toothman in the future after committing to Mississippi State in June days after taking his official visit.
The rising senior has tremendous size at tackle, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing in around 315 lbs. He provides the perfect mold at a highly developmental position. Ocean Springs’ schedule-tough policy gave Ross plenty of tape to work with in his junior season and he’s received all of his two dozen offers since then.
10. Class of 2026 DB Tomareo Johnson, Pascagoula
The only player on the Coast matching Wilson in interceptions was his backfield mate Johnson. Another long, 6-foot-2 safety, Johnson has taken visits to Mississippi State, Tulane, UNLV and Charlotte this summer and has a commitment date set for July 4.
His recruitment increased sharply coming out of 2024 with the arrival of an Arkansas State offer in January and the Bulldogs quickly followed, as did Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, Louisiana and others.
The best of the rest
11. Class of 2026 DL Jayden Curtis, St. Martin
- Offers from Ole Miss, Minnesota, Mississippi State and more.
12. Class of 2026 DL Caleb Triplett, D’Iberville
- Mississippi State commit.
13. Class of 2026 RB Cooper Crosby, Gulfport
- Louisiana commit.
14. Class of 2026 DL Jazear Carter, West Harrison
- Navy commit
15. Class of 2026 RB Jordan Stapleton, West Harrison
- Offers from Tulane, New Mexico State, Jackson State and more.
This story was originally published July 2, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
