Mississippi High School Football: Top-100 prospects highlight the 2024 Dandy Dozen

With the Mississippi high school football season set to begin in just two days, preseason accolades are being divvied out to the best of the best in the Magnolia State.

On Wednesday, the Clarion Ledger released its annual Dandy Dozen, highlighting its top 12 players in the state ahead of the 2024 season. This year’s edition features each of the 12 highest-ranked players in the state, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Four top-100 prospects highlight the list, headlined by the nation’s No. 2 wide receiver, No. 2 running back and a top-10 quarterback.

WR Caleb Cunningham — Alabama commit

School: Ackerman Choctaw County
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 14 NATL. (No. 2 WR)

Cunningham is the top-ranked player in the state and returns to Choctaw County following a junior season that witnessed 48 catches for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns. His 32-inch arms pair well with his elite bounce and ability to beat defensive backs for contested throws. Cunningham also averaged 18.6 points per game on the basketball court last season and is one of the top 2025 athletes in the nation.

QB Deuce Knight — Notre Dame commit

School: Lucedale George County
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 33 NATL. (No. 7 QB)

One of the top signal-callers in the nation, Knight has thrown for over 3,500 yards and 26 touchdowns at the high school level thus far and has looked dominant doing it. He’s also ran for 22 scores and has continued to see his stock rise ahead of his senior campaign. On3’s scouting and rankings team says the 6-foot-4.5 left-hander is “the top athlete at the position in the 2025 cycle.”

RB Akylin Dear

School: Quitman
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 38 NATL. (No. 2 RB)

The one-time Ole Miss commit rushed for over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns as a junior, bullying opposing defenses with his tough style on the ground. Dear’s 6-foot, 200-pound frame is tough to take down on the first hit and helps him excel as a pass-catching back as well. Dear will look to make his argument as the No. 1 running back in the nation this fall.

IOL Tyler Miller — LSU commit

School: Laurel (Miss.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 94 NATL. (No. 7 IOL)

Miller has proven that he’s one of the top trench monsters in the country — an impressive feat given the amount of talent on the offensive line as a whole this cycle. Measuring in at nearly 6-foot-5 and over 320 pounds, the LSU pledge clearly has the frame to excel at the next level. He’ll be a load for opposing defensive lineman and linebackers to deal with in the coming months.

LB Tyler Lockhart

School: Winona Secondary
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 143 NATL. (No. 14 LB)

Potentially the top defensive prospect in the state, Lockhart was everywhere on the field for Winona last season, racking up 100 tackles, including 28 for loss, 11 sacks and three forced fumbles. The former Auburn commit is on the hunt for another season of dominance in 2024.

QB KaMario Taylor — Mississippi State commit

School: Macon Noxubee County
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 152 NATL. (No. 13 QB)

Few quarterbacks in the entire country threw for more yards than Taylor last season. The future Bulldog lit up scoreboards as a junior, throwing for 3,647 yards, 48 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He also ran for nearly 800 yards and 15 TDs. Taylor is a top-100 recruit in the On300 and is poised for another monster campaign this fall.

DL Andrew Maddox — Ole Miss commit

School: Hattiesburg Oak Grove
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 186 NATL. (No. 17 DL)

Maddox will once again be a serious issue for opposing offensive lines in 2024, as he returns following a 99-tackle season last year. On3’s scouting and rankings team says Maddox is a “stout run defender who can sink his weight and anchor at the point of attack. Plays with a strong motor, consistently chases plays from the backside.” He is the brother of Ole Miss freshman quarterback AJ Maddox.

LB Jarcoby Hopson — Ole Miss commit

School: Lake Cormorant
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 202 NATL. (No. 20 LB)

One of the most dynamic players in the state, Hopson is back in the saddle for Lake Cormorant following a successful junior season that saw the 6-foot-1.5, 205-pounder collect 71 tackles but also rush for 785 yards and eight scores. Hopson’s ability to rotate at different positions on both sides of the ball makes him easily one of the state’s top talents.

OT Mario Nash — Mississippi State commit

School: De Kalb Kemper County
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 261 NATL. (No. 22 OT)

Checking in at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, Nash brings a powerful presence to the trenches and is ranked as the state’s top tackle in the 2025 class. The Mississippi State commit will look to play a major role for Kemper County as it chases a big season at the 3A level.

DL Kevin Oatis

School: Hattiesburg
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 269 NATL. (No. 24 DL)

Another all-stater as a junior, Oatis is a force on the defensive line that’s aiming for a big senior campaign. Oatis is a state champion in shot put and also competes in discus and powerlifting. The 6-foot-1, 285-pounder will lead the Hattiesburg defense once again in 2024.

EDGE Tyshun Willis — Mississippi State commit

School: Camden Velma Jackson
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 296 NATL. (No. 28 EDGE)

Willis is another Swiss Army knife prospect in Mississippi. Not only has he racked up 113 tackles in consecutive seasons, but the Mississippi State commit also scored nine touchdowns as a junior — six through the air and three on the ground. Willis is everywhere at once and another name for Bulldogs fans to get excited about for the future.

Safety Cortez Thomas — Ole Miss commit

School: Lexington Holmes County Central
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 300 NATL. (No. 28 NATL.)

Thomas hauled in two interceptions and 45 tackles as a junior. The Ole Miss commit carries some of the best speed in the state but also boasts the level of physicality to make a big difference at the high school level. Thomas is one of, if not the best ballhawk in Mississippi entering the 2024 season.