Many times when I scan across social media I see a recurring question pop up. It is a question that I enjoy pondering, so sometimes I give my input. Recently, it came across a friend’s timeline last week. What is the question?
“Who is the best high school football player from Mississippi you ever watched?”
Not who is the best high school player ever, but who is the guy you laid eyes on. I decided to ponder that this weekend and make a list. There were so many players, but I am going to give you my top 10 today while expanding on my top five. Keep in mind, I could make a list of many athletes, and my list could probably change with some debate.
10. John Rhys Plumlee, Oak Grove
9. Benito Jones, Wayne County
8. Snoop Conner, Hattiesburg
7. Jerrell Powe, Wayne County
6. DK Metcalf, Oxford
5. Gardner Minshew, Brandon Bulldogs
I saw Minshew play one time. That was enough for me. How I would’ve loved to have covered his high school career more, but he was not in my coverage area. The night I saw him play was against Meridian during the 2014 season. Minshew threw for 440 yards and three touchdowns, just edging out Jamarius “J’Mar” Smith’s Wildcats 44-42. Both quarterbacks combined for over 1,100 yards on the night and it took a comeback on the last drive for Brandon to win.
Minshew finished his career with over 9,700 yards passing and 88 touchdowns to just 24 interceptions. Without a doubt one of the best I ever watched.
4. Jeffery Simmons, Noxubee County Tigers
This will not go over well with some of my peers from Wayne County, however, when I made my list I had Jerrell Powe in the top five. That was until I remembered Jeffery Simmons who I covered in back-to-back State Championship games. Putting bias aside, and with much respect to Powe, Simmons just edges him out in the top five list.
The Noxubee County alum was dominant with 274 total tackles and 42 sacks. He also totaled 10 forced fumbles and one interception.
Against Myles Brennan’s St. Stanislaus Rock-a-Chaws, Simmons was dominant. He led the Tigers to two State Championship wins and gave Brennan nightmares in the process.
3. Omar Bayless, Laurel Tornadoes
Long before the nation knew who Omar Bayless was he was giving me highlight photos through my camera lens. Bayless is the smoothest receiver I have ever laid eyes on. Laurel was loaded with talent through 2012-2016 but Bayless was consistently a threat.
A two-year starter, Bayless finished with 25 receiving touchdowns and over 2,300 yards. Against Oxford in the State Championship, he snagged a touchdown to help lead the Tornadoes to a 29-26 victory.
Bayless was a gem that Arkansas State found, and will be remembered as one of the best to put on a helmet in the state of Mississippi.
2. Jason Campbell, Taylorsville
This was hard. The inner-child in me who watched Jason Campbell dominate at Taylorsville with my dad wanted to put him first, but I had to keep my bias away.
Campbell was an amazing quarterback that took the reigns of a dominant program. In his senior season, he led Taylorsville to a South State Championship with an overall 13-1 record.
Campbell went on to Auburn where he once again dominated at the collegiate level, then onto the NFL where he was a starting quarterback before retiring after the 2014 season.
1. Cam Akers, Clinton
I can’t explain this any better.
Seven touchdowns in the 6A State Championship game to lead Clinton over Pearl 49-35.
Akers rushed for 217 yards with five touchdowns and was 16-25 for 228 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He finished his career with 8,140 passing yards, 5,103 rushing yards, and 72 total touchdowns.
Akers put on a show and carried Clinton his senior season, even defeating Madison Central in the South State Championship with late-game heroics.
Years from now, even right now, Akers should be listed with the best of them to come through Mississippi. That includes the names of Favre, McNair, and others.
