Hartfield Academy defensive back and wide receiver Bralan Womack has been named the Gatorade Mississippi Football Player of the Year for the 2024-25 season.
Gatorade announced its winners of all 50 states on Friday, with Womack being the first football player to win the award from Hartfield Academy.
“I am so proud of Bralan winning this award,” Hartifled coach Craig Bowman told the Clarion Ledger. “He was absolutely dominant in all three phases of the game this year. Winning this award is a result of the many hours Bralan spends training and preparing to be the best he can possibly be. Bralan also is an extraordinary teammate. He makes those that play with him better, and he is constantly encouraging the players around him.”
The award, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community, distinguishes Womack as Mississippi’s best high school football player.
“Bralan is not only excellent on the field, but he is also excellent off the field,” Bowman said. “He is loved by his teachers and administrators. He is looked up to and respected by other students, including kids in our elementary. Bralan’s best attribute is that he is selfless with his time. He loves to serve. He loves serving our community with our school on mission days in and around the state. I am grateful to be around a person like Bralan.”
The junior helped Hartfield to its second consecutive MAIS Class 6A state title 19-14 win over Jackson Prep. He had eight interceptions, 39 tackles, 1,126 all-purpose yards and 19 total touchdowns this season.
The five-star recruit, according to 247Sports Composite, is the No. 2 player in Mississippi and No. 2 safety in the 2026 class. He released his top 10 schools in August and has offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Texas and Tennessee, among others.
“Bralan is an exceptional athlete,” former Presbyterian Christian coach Michael Brown said in a news release. “At any skill position, he can not only contribute but excel on an elite level. Bralan is a great player, no doubt.”
Womack joins recent Gatorade Mississippi Football winners Kahnen Daniels (2023-24, West Point) Isaac Smith (2022-23, Itawamba Agricultural), D.J. Smith Jr. (2021-22, Greenville Christian) and Ty Keyes (2020-21, Taylorsville), among the state’s list of former award winners.
Michael Chavez covers high school sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.
