By Robert Wilson
Jackson Academy hasn’t won a state football championship since a three-peat from 2009 to 2011.
But the Raiders – led by four players, each with multiple SEC offers – are one of the favorites to bring home the gold this season.
Offensive lineman Caden Moss (No. 1 rated player in Mississippi and No. 4 rated offensive lineman in the country in the Class of 2026 by 247 Sports), defensive lineman and Tennessee commitment Dereon Albert (No. 8 player in Mississippi and No. 28 defensive tackle in the Class of 2026), linebacker and Tennessee commitment TJ White (No. 3 player in Mississippi and No. 5 linebacker in the country in the Class of 2026), and wide receiver and North Carolina commitment O’Mari Johnson (rated No. 17 player in Mississippi and No. 35 athlete in the country) lead the charge for the Raiders.
No school in Mississippi has three players in the Top 20 in the Class of 2026 like JA and only defending MHSAA Class 7A state champion Tupelo has three in the Top 24.
JA picked up more firepower this summer with the addition of six transfers, five from MHSAA Class 7A Clinton High, including last year’s starting quarterback and leading tackler, and one from Madison-Ridgeland Academy, who are all expected to make contributions to the already talented roster.
Senior Josef Walker – Clinton’s starting quarterback last season – is rated as the No. 7 dual threat quarterback in Mississippi in the Class of 2026 by qbhitlist.com. Walker passed for 1,193 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 198 yards and two TDs. He passed for 387 yards and three TDs in a 65-62 upset of previously undefeated Brandon last season.
Sophomore linebacker Adam Alexander led Clinton with 93 tackles last season as a freshman.
Senior wide receiver Jaydann Hollins – who has offers from Georgia State and Samford – had 1,048 all-purpose yards, including 881 receiving yards and 11 TDs. He was one of the top receivers in MHSAA Class 7A last season.
Senior running back Aaric Beasley was the second leader rusher at Clinton last season with 332 yards and four TDs.
Junior outside linebacker Jaden Walker is the brother of Josef Walker.
In addition to the Clinton five, senior tight end-linebacker Fletcher Cox comes over to JA from MRA.
“We are trying to build a state championship football program here at JA,” said second-year JA head coach David Duggan, who has 38 years of experience as a college assistant coach. “We want to have a program where kids have a positive experience and learn about football and life, and we feel like we can do it better than anyone in the Metro Jackson area. All these kids that have come over from Clinton and MRA are great kids, and they will be outstanding student athletes at JA. We have a good foundation, and these players are going to help us be even better.
“Josef is in competition at quarterback with three other players, Pruett James, who started last season, Carter Mathison, who started as a sophomore and part of last season, and Peyton Smith, who is a sophomore coming up from our ninth grade from last season.
“Jaydann is very fast, explosive and very dynamic with the ball in his hands. Aaric is built similar to Kingston Mays, who played running back for us last year. Adam’s uncle, Bryant Shaw, played for me in NFL Europe and found out I was coaching at JA. Adam had a great freshman season last year. Fletcher is tough and physical and is going to help us.”
JA has 10 returning starters from last year’s team, which finished 9-4 record and the MAIS Class 6A semifinals last season.
Former Ole Miss All-SEC and NFL wide receiver Shay Hodge has been promoted to JA’s offensive coordinator when Chase Alkire left to take a head coaching job in Jacksonville, Fla. Rob Triplett has moved up from middle school head coach to running backs coach on the high school team.
JA opens the season Aug. 29 with a road trip to Oak Forest, La. The Raiders’ first home game is Sept. 5 against Leake Academy and talented quarterback George Wilcox, who passed for Mississippi best 3,623 yards and 41 TDs last season.
