100's of Top Football Athletes Expected To Attend Mississippi Media Day

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (MAP News) - On Wednesday Evening, August 27, 2025 will be a historic day for high school sports in Mississippi as 100's of top athletes from around the state are expected to attend MMD 2025, Mississippi Media Day. The red-carpet event takes place in downtown Hattiesburg at the C. E. Roy Community Center, 300 East 5th Street. Doors open at 6:00pm.

Media from all across Mississippi are coming to not only interview some of the high school coaches and players in the state, but to also cast their formal vote for the Mississippi High School Football Player Ranking, the official statewide players rankings that ranks football athletes in Mississippi. Who will be ranked as the #1 Football Player in Mississippi to kick off the 2025-26 Football Season is yet to be determined.

This is the most accurate and legit high school rankings in Mississippi.. Instead of one person putting out a ranking, over 50 accredited bono-fide news organizations will determine the outcome, just like in college with the College AP Poll.

These rankings are different than most rankings as you see on recruiting sites. The statewide players ranking includes 9th - 12th grade student athletes from public, private, and charter schools across Mississippi.

This is considered the state's official overall rankings, as players are not ranked by classification or by grade or by school affiliation but based solely overall on the merits of the individual athletes. So there will not be a ranking for a Class of 2026 or Class of 2027 but merely one ranking for the entire State of Mississippi that includes all notable athletes.

Yes, this means that a sophomore football player that plays at a 3A school could be ranked higher than a senior football player that plays at a 7A school.

Like the famous AP Poll, the news media will evaluate each athlete's profile, content, and conduct extended research as they seek to rank most of the state's top football athletes. They will discuss, debate, and comment everyday on the rankings among themselves in a private chat that's not open to the public. Access to the chat is limited.

Voting and ranking is done strictly by the participating news members who are approved to vote in the state's official football players rankings. Each voting member will formally submit their vote during the actual event, although their individual vote will not be publicized by MAP.

Leading up to the event, news members will more than likely release mock drafts of their own rankings on their own platforms to their own audiences.

There are expected to be at least 50 or more news agencies participating in this event who will be live at the red-carpet event. News media will interview athletes and coaches on the red carpet, at the podium in the media briefing room and after the event once the rankings are released.

The event features a red-carpet entrance, a news media room, a meet and greet, a special dinner for athletes, their guest, coaches, media and ticket holders. The grand finale of the night is releasing the actual statewide players rankings.

For more information, contact your local media outlet in your local area or contact MAP by email, live chat, or by phone 601.255.8504.

Ticket are available to the general public unless sold out. To buy tickets, get coaches or media passes, tap here.