Mississippi

7 top recruits to watch in Saturday’s Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic

Published

4 months ago

December 12, 2025

7 top recruits to watch in Saturday’s Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic

Many of the future stars of college football will be competing in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic on Saturday afternoon on the campus of the University of Southern Miss in Hattiesburg.

Alabama Crimson Tide signees are expected to be among the headliners, with six total players (four for Alabama, two for Mississippi) competing in the game. Auburn’s representation was greatly reduced by injuries. The Tigers are left with one player representing Alabama after Saraland receiver DeShawn Spencer, Wadley linebacker Jaquez Wilkes and Petal defensive lineman Corey Wells were late scratches from the game.

Best in Bama Top 50

Players from the game are headed to four of the 12 teams in the College Football Playoffs, including Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama.

The game will kick off at noon on Saturday and will be broadcast across the state on Alabama Public Television.

Here are seven players to be on the lookout for during the matchup.

ALABAMA

CD Morgan, wide receiver, Benjamin Russell (jersey No. 1)

There likely will not be a player on the field who looks more SEC-ready than the 6-foot-4, 220-pound wide receiver. Are the comparisons to former Foley, Alabama and NFL star Julio Jones fair? This will be the biggest stage so far for Morgan to begin justifying the lofty and unfair comparisons.

DJ Broughton, tight end, Mary G. Montgomery, (No. 15)

Broughton was one of the catalysts for a remarkable turnaround for Class 7A Mary G. Montgomery, along with all-star teammate and Mississippi State signee Kaleb Morris (No. 0).

After being a longtime commit to South Florida, Broughton will forever be remembered as the first Auburn commit of the Alex Golesh era.

EJ Crowell, running back, Jackson, (No. 13)

The hype could not be any higher for Crowell, who is the most celebrated back to sign with the Crimson Tide since Derrick Henry. Like Henry, Crowell will have to learn the nuances of the position before becoming a major contributor in college. But the talent when Crowell has the ball in his hands is undeniable.

Brock Bradley, quarterback, Spain Park, (No. 7)

The Alabama squad should be in good shape with two pocket-passer quarterbacks who are athletic enough to make plays on the run. Bradley is a longtime pledge to the Clemson Tigers. He will share the position with his future in-state rival Landon Duckworth (No. 3), who will play for South Carolina after leading Jackson to back-to-back state championships.

Mhari Johnson, defensive lineman, Muscle Shoals, (No. 9)

The 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive lineman was a catalyst for one of the stiffest defenses in the state at Muscle Shoals. He could be a strong candidate for early playing time with the Crimson Tide.

While Johnson is expected to be one of the top playmakers on the defensive line, look for Central-Phenix City linebacker and Jacksonville State signee Tristan Lyle (No. 19) and Gadsden City defensive back and Alabama signee Zyan Gibson (No. 5) to also be defensive leaders.

MISSISSIPPI

JJ Hill, running back, Tupelo (No. 0)

Hill is the younger brother of Alabama’s Daniel Hill. Both are bruising backs. The younger Hill is 25 pounds lighter than his brother, but he’s still listed at 6-feet, 220 pounds. Hill will share the backfield with Gulfport’s Cooper Crosby (No. 6). Crosby was likely headed for Auburn before the Tigers made a coaching change. He will now play for Mississippi State. Tupelo and Gulfport squared off in a wild state championship game a week ago, with Gulfport scoring on a Hail Mary pass and extra point at the end of the game to win. Now the two backs who starred in that game will be all-star teammates before playing together at Mississippi State.

Bryson Cooley, offensive lineman, West Jones (jersey No. 63)

Securing Cooley late in the recruiting process was a huge win for Alabama. He is one of two future Tide players on the Mississippi roster, joining defensive lineman Nolan Smith (No. 34) of Picayune Memorial.

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Mississippi

Stamps Super Burgers named best burger in Mississippi

Published

8 hours ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

Stamps Super Burgers named best burger in Mississippi

A Jackson, Mississippi, icon has been named the best burger in Mississippi.

Foodie offers tips for “living a delicious life” from where you go out to eat to what you cook at home. It’s ranked the best hamburger restaurant in every state.

“Of course, the bigger burger chain names have become famous worldwide, but U.S. soil is also home to a dazzling variety of burger businesses, from those selling everything from high-end gastroburgers and gluten- or meat-free versions, to hole-in-the-wall places that have been slinging sliders for generations,” Scheenagh Harrington wrote for Foodie.

The site’s pick for the best in the Magnolia State is not surprising.

“Many businesses claim their product is the best in town, but Jackson-based Stamps Super Burgers really does deliver,” Harrington wrote.

They warned to plan your trip. Afternoons can get very busy.

Why do people love Stamps burgers?

Stamps Super Burgers, 1801 Dalton St., Jackson, was founded in 1986. Since then, three generations of the Stamps family have served juicy burgers and fresh-cut fries to the community.

Today, it’s co-owned by Phil Stamps Jr. In a previous interview with the Clarion Ledger, he said it “originally started with my grandmother and grandfather in 1970 when they purchased it from Canterbury Grocery, and the entire family operated that business as a grocery and meat market for a while before transitioning over to burgers in 1986.”

The kitchen is open, in the center of the restaurant. You can watch employees cut potatoes for fries or man the grill.

A signature Stamps hamburger comes with an 11-ounce beef patty and mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickle and onions. The menu also has wings and different burger options, like turkey or portobello.

The Washington Addition restaurant regularly tops “best of” rankings for the state. In 2024, it was on the USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list.

Where are the best burgers in Jackson, MS?

Yelp lists the Top 10 burger joints in Jackson, based on user reviews.

Stamps Super Burgers
Foundation Burger
Fat Albert’s
Cs’s
Rooster’s Restaurant
Rowan’s
Bulldog Burger
The Pig & Pint
Brent’s Drugs
Not Just a Burger

Contributing: Kiara Fleming

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY NETWORK. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.

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Mississippi

An 1850s Parsonage in Natchez, Mississippi, Is Selling for the First Time in Over a Century

Published

20 hours ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

An 1850s Parsonage in Natchez, Mississippi, Is Selling for the First Time in Over a Century

A 174-year-old brick parsonage house on a bluff above the Mississippi River is now for sale in Natchez, Mississippi, asking $1.985 million.

The home, completed in 1852, was built by architect James Hardie as a residence for Methodist ministers, according to historical records. The land was donated by Peter Little, a wealthy cotton broker and slave owner who built the city’s historic Rosalie mansion.

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The house was initially built as a one-story residence with an “English” basement and a carriage house; a two-story annex was added later, according to the listing with Douglas Adams of Crescent Sotheby’s International Realty, informed by the Historic Natchez Foundation.

“The location is what is superb because it is one of the highest points in Natchez overlooking the Mississippi River,” said Adams, who posted the listing Thursday.

In 1893, the Parsonage changed hands for the last time when it was purchased by James and Agnes Metcalfe, and has been in the Metcalfe family ever since.

Known as the Parsonage, the residence is considered a classic example of Greek Revival architecture from the pre-Civil War South, with a wide portico, raised porch and sash windows. It is located on South Broadway Street, in a commanding position that overlooks Bluff Park, the Mississippi and downtown Natchez. It spans 6,500 square feet with five bedrooms, two formal parlors flanking a central hall and richly detailed interiors that include original exposed-brick walls, fireplaces and stained-glass windows.

In addition to a front porch, the property includes several outdoor terraces and balconies, including a second-floor wraparound deck and a balustraded rooftop—which has the best vantage point from which to see the wide views.

The home was occupied for many years by the late Albert and Gay Metcalfe, who married at the Parsonage in 1959, and would host events for friends. “It became something of a social hub,” Adams said. “They’d host families to celebrate someone’s life; there may have been some weddings that occurred there.”

Gay Metcalfe died in 2023 and the heirs are her three children, Adams said. The family couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Hardie, the architect, was a Scottish immigrant who built several other notable buildings in Natchez, including most prominently St. Mary Basilica, a Gothic Revival structure on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Homewood plantation, a Greek Revival mansion.

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According to local lore, the Parsonage was commissioned by Little because his wife, Eliza’s religious devotion led her to welcome every passing minister into their home, according to “Natchez,” a 1940s history of the city. Displeased with the “long siege of such guests,” Little decided to build a separate home for his wife’s visitors.

Little’s own mansion at Rosalie still stands today near the site of the 1729 massacre of the Natchez Native Americans, from whom the city takes its name.

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