By Robert Wilson
Reginald Vaughn – rated as one of the Top 10 defensive linemen in the country in the Class of 2025 – has found a new home.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound sophomore transferred from Madison St. Joseph to Hartfield Academy recently and will be playing for the Hawks next football season.
Both St. Joe and Hartfield are members of the MAIS and St. Joe will be joining Hartfield in Class 6A next school year. This was Hartfield’s second year in Class 6A.
Vaughn is rated as the No. 2 overall recruit in Mississippi, No. 7 defensive lineman in the country, the No. 66 overall recruit in the country in the Class of 2025 by 247 Sports. He was one of two sophomores on the 50-player PriorityOne Bank/MSB Metro Jackson Football Team last fall.
He played on the varsity at St. Joe as a freshman and sophomore.
Vaughn was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player in the MAIS Futures Game in December and was named the Defensive Player of the Game in the Magnolia Sports Association Future Sophomore Game in January.
Vaughn has Division I offers from Texas and Tulsa.
Hartfield finished 9-3 and reached the semifinals of the MAIS Class 6A playoffs last season. Hartfield now has three players returning from the 2022 Metro Jackson team. Hartfield had all-purpose player Reed Jesiolowski (second team) and defensive lineman Chris Jones (second team) on the team last season. Jesiolowski accounted for 1,521 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving and kickoff returns) and 21 touchdowns, Jones had 75 tackles and four sacks. Conner Mullins, who was a first-team selection as punter on the All-Metro team at Hartfield, transferred to Brandon.
Vaughn gives Hartfield another talented player to help the Hawks try to win their first MAIS state football championship.
“We are excited about Reggie and his family being a part of our school community,” Hartfield coach Craig Bowman said. “Reggie has a tremendous amount of ability. We are really focusing on building his strength up and getting him acclimated to our culture.”
St. Joe finished 6-6 and reached the second round of the MAIS Class 5A playoffs last season. St. Joe sophomore quarterback Emile Picarella is rated as one of the top quarterbacks in the country in the Class of 2025. He is rated No. 9 in the country for pro style quarterbacks in the Class of 2025 by qbhitlist.com.
