Two South Mississippi high school football standouts named best in the state
Two South Mississippi standouts have earned 2025 Mr. Football honors from the MHSAA and MAC.
Picayune two-way lineman Mitchell Smith was recognized as 6A Mr. Football and Poplarville running back Ty Keys earned 4A Mr. Football.
Smith is a Vanderbilt commit who returned to Picayune from IMG Academy for his senior season. Mitchell is a 6-foot-6 and 320-pound three-star recruit who anchors the Maroon Tide offensive line at tackle.
Picayune is averaging a Coast-best 356.9 rushing yards per game behind Smith. Running back Xavier Dennis just crossed the 2,000-yard rushing mark and has gained 1,349 of them in just the last five games.
Smith also plays on the defensive line where he’s made 27 tackles and two tackles for loss. He’s the third Picayune product to earn the award since 2022, joining Dante Dowdell and Jamonta Waller.
Keys is the only other Coast running back over 2,000 rushing yards this season. The junior is a four-star recruit in the 2027 class enjoying a career year with 2,051 yards and 28 touchdowns in nine games.
He’s eclipsed 200 yards in a single game five times this year and flirted with the state’s single game record with 506 yards against Hancock. Keys did tie the touchdown record with eight scores that night.
The Coast has had at least one athlete win the award every year since 2019.
2024
Trey Irving, Gautier
2023
Jamonta Waller, Picayune
2022
Bray Hubbard, Ocean Springs
Dante Dowdell, Picayune
2021
Bray Hubbard, Ocean Springs
2020
Justin Walley, D’Iberville
2019
McKinnley Jackson, George County
