High School

Messiah Hampton, 2026 WR, is quickly becoming the top high school football prospect out of New York

The fleet-footed pass catcher from Rochester has seen aan influx of Power 4 offers go his way recently

Andy Villamarzo

Monroe wide receiver Messiah Hampton flies upfield for yards after the catch in the first half during their season opening game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at Monroe High School.
Monroe wide receiver Messiah Hampton flies upfield for yards after the catch in the first half during their season opening game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at Monroe High School. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Looking back at the kind of 2024 New York high school football season that James Monroe junior wide receiver Messiah Hampton just had, the numbers speak for themselves.

Now with a busy off-season at camps, combines and 7-on-7's, Hampton has quickly become the hottest Class of 2026 prospect out of the Empire State.

If you don't think that's apparent, take a look at the long list of schools that have come knocking on Hampton's door over in Northwest New York.

The Rochester product has recently nabbed offers from Power 4 programs like Florida State, North Carolina, University of Southern California and Oregon. There's no shortage of suitors for Hampton when it comes to playing on the next level.

Just this past season for the Red Jackets of Rochester, Hampton hauled in 56 passes for 869 yards and eight touchdowns. That was good enough to rank Hampton among the top pass catchers in the state.

College recruiters have certainly taken notice and stopped by aplenty to see what all the buzz is about when it comes to Hampton, who is ranked a 4-star 2026 wide receiver by 247Sports.

With a nice frame standing at 6-foot, 170 pounds, Hampton at recent Nike and Under Armour camps impressed folks. Hampton's speed combined with crisp route-running and sure-handed catching ability has made him a top target for most college programs.

Hampton back on Aug. 30th listed a Top 10 list of colleges he'd be looking to attend after his senior season, with schools like Michigan, Penn State and defending national champion Ohio State all in the mix.

Throw in some of the country's top programs into the fray and Hampton could be looking at shaking up his Top 10 as the offers continue to roll in for one of New York's top high school football players heading into the 2025 season.

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi

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Andy Villamarzo
ANDY VILLAMARZO

Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.

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