Robert Wilson spent 23 years at The Clarion-Ledger/Jackson Daily News as a sportswriter with more than half of those years covering high school sports, mostly in the Metro Jackson area. He helped chose the Dandy Dozen in various sports for more than a decade. Wilson has rebirthed a similar team this year with Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Elite Eleven Preseason Football Team based on our All-Metro team selections from last season. Wilson selected the best players from Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties from their performances last season. The players below are in alphabetical order.
Stone Blanton, Madison-Ridgeland Academy, Senior, Linebacker:
An Under Armour All-American All-Star Game selection, the 6-2, 228-pound Blanton had 99 tackles and five sacks and led MRA to its second straight MAIS Class 6A state championship and a 12-0 record. Blanton had 17 tackles in the season opening win over highly touted Trinity (Texas) Christian last season. The Mississippi State baseball commitment is ranked as the No. 6 inside linebacker in his class in the country by ESPN. He was a member of the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson first team last season. MRA opens the season Aug. 13 against defending MAIS Class 3A state champion Greenville Christian at MRA.
“This is Stone’s fifth year to start,” MRA coach Herbert Davis said. “He is really intelligent, physical and fast. He’s up to 228 pounds. Stone has become more of a vocal leader for us.”
Davis Dalton, Madison-Ridgeland Academy, Senior, Wide Receiver:
A talented route runner with outstanding ability to catch the ball in traffic, the 6-3, 190-pound Dalton caught 38 passes for 742 yards and 14 TDs despite missing three games for the 12-0 and MAIS Class 6A state champion Patriots last season. He caught six passes for 146 yards and three TDs in the season opening win over highly touted Trinity (Texas) Christian. Also MRA’s kickoff specialist and punter, Dalton had 12 touchbacks in nine games and averaged 38.3 per punt last season. He has verbally committed to Southern Miss. Dalton was a second-team selection at wide receiver on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season. A key basketball player for the Patriots, Dalton scored 12 points in MRA’s win over Greenville Christian for the Overall championship last season. MRA opens the season Aug. 13 against defending MAIS Class 3A state champion Greenville Christian at MRA.
“Davis has some of the best ball skills I’ve seen,” MRA coach Herbert Davis said. “He catches and high-points everything thrown his way. Davis has gotten faster and bigger. He has become a more vocal leader for us.”
Blake Gunter, Madison Central, Senior, Tight End:
The 6-3, 230-pound Gunter led the Jaguars in catches (34), receiving yards (454) and receiving TDs (five) last season. He caught four passes for a season-high 124 yards, including a 70-yard TD, in a win over Germantown last season. Gunter is ranked the 18th top recruit in Mississippi in his class and the No. 32 top recruit at his position in his class in the country by 247 Sports. He has 15 Division I offers, including Ole Miss, Arkansas and Tennessee from the SEC. His brother, Grayson, played tight end at Arkansas and is in his first year at Southern Miss. Blake was a first-team selection on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season. Madison Central opens the season Aug. 27 at home against West Jones.
“Blake is a great player and a great leader for our football team,” Madison Central coach Toby Collums said. “He has a phenomenal work ethic, and he is mature beyond his years.”
Zxavian Harris, Germantown, Senior, Defensive Lineman:
Considered one of the top defensive linemen in the country, the 6-8, 335-pound Harris had 48 tackles, 9 for loss, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery last season for the Mavericks. Harris, an Ole Miss commit, is rated as the No. 17 defensive lineman in the country by ESPN. He was a first-team selection on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season. Germantown opens the season Aug. 27 at Vicksburg.
“Zxavian is a force in the middle on defense,” Germantown coach Scott Brown said. “When you see him move on film, you are surprised by how agile he is for someone his size. But most importantly, Zxavian doesn’t take a play off. He is always chasing the ball.”
Jeremy Jackson, Pearl, Senior, Defensive Lineman:
A dominating force up front, the 5-10, 290-pound Jackson had 50 tackles, an amazing 25 for loss, with 5 sacks for the Pirates last season. He was a first team selection on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season. Jackson had 10 tackles, 5 for loss, and 2 sacks in Pearl’s 15-7 upset of Brandon in the Rankin County Super Bowl last season. Pearl opens the season Aug. 27 at South Pike.
“Jeremy has the quickest hands I’ve seen as a defensive lineman,” Pearl coach Justin Hunter said. “He has a great motor. Jeremy plays hard all the time.”
Jerry Johnson, Pearl, Senior, Wide Receiver-Defensive Back:
One of the most versatile players in Mississippi, the 5-11, 175-pound Johnson has played wide receiver, running back, quarterback, cornerback and safety and returned kickoffs and punts during his career at Pearl. He caught 49 passes for 379 yards and two TDs, ran 52 times for 340 yards and three TDs and completed 7 of 8 passes for 197 yards and four TDs and interception four passes as a junior. Johnson won the Class 6A state long jump last spring as a junior, runs on the relays and plays on Pearl’s basketball team. He was the all-purpose player on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson second team last season. Pearl opens the season Aug. 27 at South Pike.
“Jerry is an electric athlete,” Pearl coach Justin Hunter said. “He is special with the ball in his hands. He can play any skill position on the field. We need to get the ball in his hands as much as possible this season.”
Cam Marion, Northwest Rankin, Senior, Running Back:
A bruising runner with uncanny endurance, the 5-11, 205-pound Marion gained 1,486 yards on 283 carries and scored 19 TDs and helped the Cougars to a 9-4 record and their first second-round playoff win in school history last season. He had two 200-yard performances last season, 221 yards on 39 carries and four TDs against Ridgeland and 219 yards on 31 carries and three TDs against George County. Marion was a member of the first team on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season. Northwest Rankin opens the season Aug. 27 at home against Ridgeland.
“Cam is a player who we will need to lean on offensively,” Northwest Rankin coach Devin Cooper said. “He is a talented player with great vision running the ball. Cam runs very balanced and has a natural vision that some guys just are blessed with as a running back.”
Jalen Nelson, Northwest Rankin, Senior, Defensive Back:
The 6-1, 170-pound Nelson had 58 tackles, 2 interceptions and 12 pass breakups and helped the Cougars to a 9-4 record and their first second-round playoff win in school history last season. He was a first team selection on Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season. Northwest Rankin opens the season Aug. 27 at home against Ridgeland.
“Jalen is a great talent on the perimeter as a defensive back,” Northwest Rankin coach Devin Cooper said. “He brings the measurables and skills need to guard the top wide receivers. Jalen is a team leader due to his work ethic and experience on the field.”
Branson Robinson, Germantown, Senior, Running Back:
An Under Armour All-American All-Star Game selection, the 5-10, 220-pound Robinson gained 1,179 yards with 15 TDs last season for the Mavericks. He had one of the best games by a running back in Mississippi last season when he gained 281 yards and scored five TDs in a 72-38 victory over Cleveland Central. Robinson announced this summer he verbally committed to Georgia after narrowing his final three choices to Georgia, defending national champion Alabama and Tennessee. He is ranked as the No. 2 running back and the No. 20 overall recruit in his class in the country by ESPN. Robinson was a first-team selection on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season. Germantown opens the season Aug. 27 at Vicksburg.
“Branson is one of the best athletes I’ve ever been around,” Germantown coach Scott Brown said. “He is physical, has great vision and is an intense competitor. All those attributes in one back are hard to find.”
Scott Swalley, Jackson Academy, Senior, Kicker-Punter:
With one of the strongest and accurate legs in Mississippi, the 5-7, 150-pound Swalley is a weapon as a field goal kicker, punter, and kickoff specialist. He made 7 of 10 field goal attempts with a long made of 45 yards and made 57 of 58 extra point attempts, averaged 37.5 yards per punt and had 15 touchbacks in 13 games last season and helped the Raiders to a 10-4 record and their first appearance in the MAIS state championship game since 2013. Swalley is ranked No. 88 in punting and No. 109 in kicking in the country in his class by chrissailerkicking.com. He was a first-team selection as kicker on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season. JA opens the season Aug. 20 against Starkville Academy at home.
“Scott has a tremendously strong leg and is highly accurate,” JA coach Lance Pogue said. “He is also an outstanding punter.”
Ayden Williams, Ridgeland, Junior, Wide Receiver-Defensive Back:
Considered one of the most dangerous skill players in his class in the country, the 6-2, 175-pound Williams caught 58 passes for 765 yards and six TDs on offense and had 20 tackles and one interception on defense and helped the Titans to a 10-3 record, the Class 5A semifinals and their best season since 2010. Williams, one of four sophomores on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson team last season, is rated No. 25 best wide receiver in the country by ESPN in his class. A selection to the 2022 Under All-American All-Star Game, Williams already has offers from Power 5 schools Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Florida from the SEC, Oregon from the Pac 12, and Florida State from the ACC. Ridgeland opens the season Aug. 27 at Northwest Rankin.
“Ayden is an unbelievable player that we expect to have a huge year,” Ridgeland coach Teddy Dyess said. “He does a lot of extra work to get better every day.”
