Top 20 Mississippi high school football players from the Class of 2021

Quarterback Brett Favre, running back Walter Payton and wide receiver Jerry Rice all played high school football in the Magnolia State. So did another wide receiver Lance Alworth, offensive lineman Jackie Slater and defensive back Willie Brown — all Hall of Fame members.

The best players from Mississippi in the Class of 2020 are following the examples of Rice and Alworth as seven of the Top 20 players, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, are wide receivers.

Of the 20, 16 are on the offensive side of the ball, including four quarterbacks. Three defensive backs head up the top Mississippi defenders.

Of the seven from the 20 who have committed to college, four will stay close to home at Mississippi State.

See the complete Top 25 as compiled by 247Sports below. 1. Deion Smith, Provine (Jackson)
6-foot-2 | 175 pounds | Wide receiver | LSU
Almost half of the long and lean receiver's 43 catches last season went for touchdowns (19) for 1,059 yards. The nation's No. 13 ranked wide receiver overall in the country and No. 86 recruit overall, picked LSU over Mississippi State, Alabama and Ole Miss.

2. Isaiah Brevard, Southaven (Southaven)
6-4 | 200 | WR | Undecided
A bigger and more physical receiver than Smith, Brevard had 32 catches for 713 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore. Also a basketball standout, he has 22 offers but appears to be locked in at Georgia and Oregon, though Baylor, Florida State and Missouri are still on the radar.

3. Luke Altmyer, Starkville
6-2 | 190 | QB | Florida State
Completed 251-of-374 for 3,093 yards and 37 touchdowns last season and has 5,523 passing yards and 63 touchdowns for his career. Ranked the No. 12 pro-style quarterback in the country, Altmeyer has 16 college offers, including Alabama, Georgia Tech and Louisville.

4. Antonio Harmon, Kosciusko
6-4 | 205 | WR | Undecided
Has 66 career catches for 1,278 yards and 14 touchdowns, while also recording 104 tackles on defense from his safety spot. His frame is big enough to play linebacker in college as well. He has an elite frame for college football, says 247Sports director of scouting Barton Simmons. He has 11 offers, but appears to have narrowed his picks between Georgia, LSU, Louisville, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

5. Ty Keyes, Taylorsville
6-2 | 205 | QB | Undecided
Completed 214-of-321 passes last season for 3,736 yards and 39 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. Also has dual-threat capability despite being primarily a drop back quarterback. Among his offers are Auburn, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oregon and Mississippi State.

6. Kadarius Calloway, Philadelphia
6-0 | 210 | ATH | Mississippi State
There's not much Calloway can't do on the football field and that's why besides the Bulldogs, Alabama, Louisville and Ole Miss made offers. As a sophomore he averaged 26.6 yards per his 29 catches. He also had two interceptions on defense.

7. MJ Daniels, George County (Lucedale)
6-3 | 185 | ATH | Undecided
A long and lean athlete, Daniels has played quarterback, receiver and the secondary for George County, but figures to play defense in college. He had 39 tackles with three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three pick 6s. Among his college offers: Ole Miss, Auburn and Georgia.

8. Brandon Buckhaulter, Hartfield Academy (Flowood)
6-3 | 2017 | WR | Mississippi State
Had a very productive junior season with 35 catches for 687 yards and 10 touchdowns. Besides the Bulldogs, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Louisville made him offers.

9. Jarquez Hunter, Neshoba Central (Philadelphia)
5-10 | 183 | RB | Undecided
Had a breakout sophomore season in 2018 with 231 carries for 1,986 yards and 26 touchdowns and was even better as a junior, with 213, 2,088 and 29. Hunter was also a threat catching the ball with 14 catches for 234 yards and two more scores. He has 14 college offers, but appears to be locked in on either Auburn or Tennessee.

10. Kanarius Johnson, Laurel
6-2 | 190 | WR | Undecided
Had a better than solid junior season with 42 catches for 714 yards and eight touchdowns, leading to 13 college offers, including Mississippi State, Auburn, Indiana, Kentucky and Louisville.

11. Marvin Martin, Vicksburg
6-0 | 185 | S | Undecided
A big and physical safety with excellent ball skills, Martin has solid offers from Louisiana-Monroe and Southern Miss.

12. Justin Walley, D'Iberville
5-10 | 170 | CB | Undecided
An athlete who has performed well on both sides of the ball, Walley had 74 tackles last season with seven pass breakups and seven forced fumbles. Among his college offers: Auburn, Colorado, Memphis, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

13. Makylan Pounders, Byhalia
6-3 | 295 | OG | Mississippi State
Ranked the No. 48 guard in the country, Pounders committed to the Bulldogs on April 29. He also has offers from defending national champion LSU, along with Alcorn State, Arkansas and Louisiana among others.

14. Zy McDonald, Ridgeland
5-10 | 185 | QB | Louisiana
A three-sport athlete — he plays basketball and baseball also — McDonald is one of the most productive players in the state with 7,868 career passing yards and 65 touchdowns to go along with 732 career rushing yards and 16 more scores. Also had offers from Army, Georgia State, Jackson State and Navy.

15. Cameron Wright, South Panola (Batesville)
6-4 | 200 | WR | Undecided
Superb size and hands, Wright had 39 catches for 592 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior. He's earned 14 college scholarships, but appears to be narrowed down to Kentucky and UCF.

16. Amariyon Howard, Starkville
6-0 | 200 | RB | Mississippi State
Rushed 140 times as a junior for 833 yards and six touchdowns. Also was a receiving threat out of the backfield with 18 catches. He committed to the Bulldogs on Dec. 6, picking them over Louisiana-Monroe and Southern Miss.

17. Chandler Pittman, Magee
5-9 | 170 | ATH | Undecided
Interest is gaining on the talented athlete, who got an offer from Navy on June 17, Army on June 7 and Indiana on June 1. Has earlier offers from Florida State and Ole Miss, among others.

18. Tyvoris Cooper Louisville
6-4 | 238 | DE | Undecided
Had a breakout junior season with 63 tackles, 21 for loss including nine sacks and a fumble recovery. Has garnered a lot of attention lately and has 15 scholarship offers, including Tennessee, Colorado, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

19. Corey Ellington, Holmes County Central (Lexington)
6-3 | 190 | S | Mississippi State
Great size both as a wide receiver and safety, though he's been recruited on the defensive side of the ball. Had seven interceptions and six pass breakups last season to go along with 40 tackles. Also had offers from Indiana and Arkansas, among others.

20. Xavier Franks, Magee
6-2 | 180 | WR | UCF
A three-sport standout, Franks had 70 catches as a senior for 1,001 yards and 13 touchdowns. He committed to UCF on May 29 after also getting offers from South Alabama, Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas State and Alcorn State, among others.