MaxPreps 2017 Mississippi preseason high school football Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: Marcus Murphy's highlights Meridian High School
See the West Point 4-star athlete tear it up for the Green Wave.


1. West Point
2016 record: 14-1
Head coach: Chris Chambless

The defending class 5A state champs roll into 2017 riding a 13-game winning streak and 4-star athlete Marcus Murphy will be one of the Mississippi Gatorade Football Player of the Year favorites this fall.

Murphy threw for only 97 yards last season backing up Clayton Knight, but led the team in rushing with 1,756 and 25 TDs.

Jason Brownlee caught 30 balls for 583 yards and 10 scores in his junior season last year.
Xavier Fair, a rising senior, returns at linebacker for the Green Wave after recording 101 tackles in 2016. See the MaxPreps Mississippi Football Computer Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

2. Clinton
2016 record: 14-1
Head coach: Judd Boswell

The $64,000 question for the Arrows is "Who replaces Cam Akers?" The Florida State running back ran for 2,105 yards and 34 scores last season while also throwing for 3,128 yards and 31 touchdowns last season for the 6A champions.

Walker Burchfield, a rising senior, backed up Akers last season and has reportedly looked good in offseason workouts. But Clinton also has Madison-Ridgeland Academy transfer Hunter Hulsey, a rising junior.

Ronnie Thomas will anchor the defensive line after 72 tackles as a junior, while DB KD Dixon added 69 tackles and one fumble recovery.

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3. Pearl
2016 record: 11-4
Head coach: John Perry

The Pirates look to get back to the title game after falling 49-35 to Cam Akers and Clinton last season.
Rising senior quarterback Jake Smithhart threw for 2,508 yards and 31 touchdowns on 178-of-288 passing.

Smithhart's top target last season, Johnquarise Patterson, returns for his senior season after catching 59 passes for 868 yards and 12 TDs in 2016.

In addition to Smithhart and Patterson, Pearl also returns running back Johnny Winston who ran for 1,342 yards and 22 TDs on 244 carries.

Linebacker Willie Brown and strong safety Tylan Knight both return after notching 141 and 123 tackles, respectively, last season.

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4. Tupelo
2016 record: 12-1
Head coach: Gage Watkins

The Golden Wave are loaded on offense with rising junior quarterback Stephon McGlaun leading the offense after throwing for 1,105 yards and 11 TDs, while adding 446 yards rushing and seven TDs on the ground last season.

Rising junior RB Jaquerrious Williams joins with McGlaum in an effort to get Tupelo past the last season's quarterfinal showing. Williams ran for 1,137 yards 13 TDS in 2016.

Linebackers Jett Johnson and Peter Gray return after 119 and 87 tackles, respectively, in their junior campaign.

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5. Jackson Prep (Jackson)
2016 record: 13-1
Head coach: Ricky Black

The Patriots enter 2017 looking for a record sixth-straight championship and the building blocks are there.
Jerrion Ealy returns as the every-down back after rushing for 971 yards and 16 scores in last season's title effort.

He's joined by quarterback Chance Lovertich, who threw for 1,926 and 25 TDs as a junior in 2016. Defensively, Cooper Carroll will be the Patriots anchor after recording 122 tackles last season.