Vote: Who Are The Top Returning Mississippi High School Special Teams Players For 2025?

The best teams excel at all three phases of the game in football: offense, defense and special teams. If one team fails to excel at all three, they might find it difficult to win close games which is why special teams is so important.

With that being said, we turn our attention to some of the top returning players who make a difference for their teams on special teams. Having a great kicker can be the difference in a win or loss, which is why the best of the best focus on the kicking game in practice. Also, having a reliable punter or kick/punt returner is key too because you can flip field position is close battles.

We have nominated 10 individuals who made a difference on special teams for their respective teams last season, and these athletes are expected to do the same this season. As always, we ask you, the fans, to vote on who you think is the top returning special teams player in Mississippi for 2025.

Voting will close on August 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Here are the nominations:

Gavin Howard, Holmes County Central

The 3-star composite wide receiver returns as one of the top returners in the state this season. In 2024, Howard returned a total of 24 kickoffs and punts for 688 yards with two touchdowns. He averaged 39 yards per return on kickoffs and nearly 14 yards on punt returns.

Gregory Jackson Jr, Mount Olive

Last season, Jackson returned a total of 23 kickoffs for 599 yards with his longest return going for 85-yards. He averaged 26 yards per return and scored two touchdowns on kickoff returns.

Jamison Kelly, Lanier

Kelly only returned seven kickoffs last season, but he proved to be one of the most efficient and lethal returners in the state with the opportunities he had. He gained 417 yards and four touchdowns with an average of 59.6 yards per return, and his longest return went for 90-yards. Kelly also returned two punts for 55 yards.

Eli Adams, Jackson Prep

Adams, a 5-star prospect on Kohl's National Kicker Ratings, enters the 2025 season as one of the top kickers in the nation. Last season he made 58 PAT's, seven field goals and tallied 79 points. He also totaled 4,708 yards and 47 touchbacks on kickoffs. Adams can also play as a punter at the collegiate level as Kohl's has him rated as a 4.5-star prospect as a punter. Adams totaled 1,379 yards and had 15 punts downed inside the 20.

Hayden McMinn, Hartfield Academy

Like Adams, McMinn is a highly-touted prospect out of the Jackson area. Rated as a 4-star kicker and a 4.5-star punter, McMinn displayed all the tools last season to succeed at the collegiate level. He made 71 PATs and four field goals with a tally of 83 points scored last season. McMinn kicked off 84 times that totaled 4,822 yards with 58 touchbacks. As a punter, he punted 25 times that totaled 976 yards with five punts downed inside the 20 as well.

Jonah Artman, Warren Central

The All-State kicker made 44 PATs and 10 field goals which was good for 74 total points scored last season. He kicked off 70 times for a total of 4,007 yards and 53 touchbacks. Artman averaged 57-yards per kick on kickoffs.

Rett Robinson, Jackson Academy

Robinson is another excellent kicker in the MAIS who is back for another year this season. Last year, Robinson made 45 PATs and 11 field goals which was good for 78 points scored. Robinson kicked off 69 times for a total of 2,750 yards, and he punted 54 times that totaled 1,684 yards with 11 punts downed inside the 20.

Isaac Allen, Baldwyn

Allen made 62 PATs to go along with his four field goal makes which was good for 74 points scored last season. He also kicked off 95 times for 3,777 yards with two touchbacks and an average of 39.8 yards per kick.

Michael Thompson, Oxford

Thompson is a weapon in the kicking game for the Chargers when he is called upon. Last season, Thompson made 31/32 of his PATs to go along with his eight field goal makes which tallied 55 total points. He also kicked off 44 times which totaled 2,404 yards with 17 touchbacks.

Grayson Alexander, New Albany

Alexander, who is a rated a four-star kicker by Kohl's National Kicker Ratings, made 24 PATs last season to go along with his six field goal makes for a total of 42 points scored.

Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player that may not be mentioned in our poll.