By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The 2026 Millington Star Male Athlete of the Year, presented by Homer Skelton Ford and Homer Skelton Dodge Chrysler Jeep and Ram, faced a challenge no other past winner had taken in 21 years.
Tipton-Rosemark Academy legend Nix Fullen was following in the cleats of older brothers Mac and Payne on the Rebel gridiron. Mac set the records by 2019 for Nix to chase and eventually break.
Payne validated the family’s legacy with various awards and All-Star honors setting the table for his younger brother.
“It started when I was very young, growing up with two older brothers doesn’t come easy for sure,” Nix acknowledged. “You have to play up to their level. You have to, you can’t do it any other way. You’ve got to get better. You can’t lose to them when you’re young. You’ve got to get better.
“Getting older, it helped me with leadership and being a leader on the field,” he added. “You have them and they’re out of high school telling me what I should be doing. Being behind the scenes, they helped me develop into a good role model and good leader.”
Nix used the lessons from his brothers and parents Parker and Stacy Fullen to carve out a legendary football career at TRA, make a mark on the basketball team and finish in the top 10 of his class.
Receiving awards and special ceremonies became a routine for the Fullen family starting with Mac. When the eldest Fullen brother set the school’s all-time rushing record, Rebel Football stopped the game to recognize his accomplishment.
“A lot of emotion, a lot of hard work paid off,” Mac recalled. “I shed some tears. It was an amazing moment especially with all the family there watching me. It really was an awesome experience.”
Then TRA Elementary School student Nix was busy that night enjoying his youth.
“I really don’t remember that night,” he said with a smile.
Payne reflected on that evening wearing his varsity uniform beside his older brother.
“It was pressure but we were in different positions my first two years,” Payne acknowledged. “I was the wing back blocking for him.
“I was trying to take leadership, but he was a senior and leader of the team at that point,” the TRA Class of 2022 Valedictorian recalled. “I was watching him, handing the ball off to him when I needed to and throwing a pass here and there. It was pressure but he was on the field with me my first two years.”
By the time Payne was a senior, Nix was called up to the varsity roster to be an understudy.
It took Fullen a couple of years to find his footing and he was ready to take the ball to make history as a two-time Mr. Football Finalist.
Under the guidance of former Head Coach William Dean, the youngest Fullen finished with 868 carries for 6,317 yards and 82 touchdowns.
He added 56 career receptions for 627 yards and four more touchdowns.
He finished as runner-up for 2025 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award with 1,796 yards and 28 scores. The previous season Fullen set the Rebel single season mark for rush yards with 2,265 on 209 carries.
With several schools showing interest and offering deals, Fullen made a choice to gamble on himself for the immediate future. He will be attending the SEC’s Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss.
“I haven’t really talked to too many people yet but I am hoping to get a walk-on spot,” he said. “That would be a good thing and somewhere to start for sure. I’ll work my way up like I’ve always have.
“I will work hard and I won’t complain,” Nix added. “I do what needs to be done and I’ll do whatever they’ll ask me to do.”
Fullen said his parents have instilled those values in him and a belief that he can make his dream of playing on college football’s biggest stage come true.
“Our parents were very important to our development,” he said. “Dad always working so mom is doing the small things. Dad is showing work by example, getting up and never complaining. He works and does his job and comes home. That’s where the hard work example comes from.”
Loyalty he saw from his parents everyday played a part in Nix stepping on the basketball court one more year to play for TRA Head Basketball Coach Bryant Wilkerson.
“Starting at the basketball season, Dominic Dotson and I were really iffy about playing or not,” he recalled. “We wanted to see if we just wanted to workout and just train for football. It came down to the last little bit of the football season and we were like, ‘OK, we’re going to play.’ Coach Wilkerson is a great coach and he loves us and he backed us up at times he didn’t have to. I think that was definitely a big pull for us to play one more year for him.”
Fullen showed up everyday and worked hard to make TRA one of the top teams in their league 2025-26 playing power forward.
“One thing for me I was never a basketball player,” he noted. “I was never the star of basketball for sure, but I always came onto the court not looking to be the superstar. I was coming in there to do it for those guys. I didn’t love basketball like I love football but I played basketball as hard as I could for the respect of those who do love basketball.”
Love of God, family, TRA, and sports will help shape the long-term legacy of No. 22. His dedication and work ethic added his name to the list of Star Athletes of the Year.
“It’s a good feeling especially having all the great people around me to push me to be a great player on the court and on the field,” he concluded. “I couldn’t do it without the people around me supporting and helping me.”
