Catching up with Louisiana’s top 2023 ATHs
Many of the top college prospects Louisiana produces each recruiting cycle play versatile roles for their high school teams — and realistically could do so at the next level. Here’s the latest on 16 of the state’s top athletes and…
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Continue ReadingMany of the top college prospects Louisiana produces each recruiting cycle play versatile roles for their high school teams — and realistically could do so at the next level.
Here’s the latest on 16 of the state’s top athletes and their camps, visits, offers and thought processes from the summer.
Jaiden Ausberry — 6-2, 200 ATH — University Lab
The Cubs’ star is nearing an Aug. 4 commitment announcement date with a top seven of LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Florida, Michigan and Notre Dame. And the growing consensus for much of the summer has pointed toward the Fighting Irish to land one of Louisiana’s best players over LSU, where his high school campus is located and his father played and works; Auburn, where his older brother signed this past winter; and a long list overall of high-profile options.
Ja’Cory Thomas — 6-3, 180 ATH — Walker
A major recruiting breakout for Thomas came in the spring with offer from Louisville, Purdue, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, Grambling State, Louisiana (Lafayette), Nicholls State and Southern. A trio of in-state Group of Five programs in Tulane, Louisiana Tech and Louisiana (Lafayette) have been the most consistent suitors this summer and the leaders to watch heading into a senior season that could break his list of options open even further.
Khai Prean — 6-1, 190 ATH — St. James
Prean has become one of the priorities of LSU’s class moving forward even after a red-hot summer that included a pair of wide receiver commitments. The talented athlete, who has shown Division-I ability all over the field during his high school career, is among the notable prospects to watch for a potential preseason announcement if the Tigers can sew it up. But Prean has a slew of other attractive options from which to choose, including nearby SEC West member Mississippi State and coach Mike Leach’s pass-heavy offense, Auburn and Florida State.
Jaheim Johnson — 6-1, 175 ATH — Hammond
Tulane, Louisiana (Lafayette), Troy and Washington State have been the most notable programs recruiting Johnson on the back end of a summer that also included offers from Washington, Memphis, Louisiana Tech, Northwestern State, UNC Charlotte, Southeastern Louisiana and Southern. He was scheduled for a return trip to Tulane this weekend, at least his second in a matter of weeks, followed by a potential trip to Baylor
D’Wanye’ Winfield — 6-2, 200 ATH — Lutcher
The Bulldogs’ leader is one of state’s most versatile prospects in the class with the potential to continue playing quarterback at the next level in the right fit, or to play multiple other positions at most programs in the country. Winfield camped at Louisiana (Lafayette), Tulane and Southern Miss this summer and has heard most consistently from the Ragin’ Cajuns and UCF, who has factored prominently throughout his recruitment.
Kelvin Black — 5-10, 200 ATH — North Caddo
The speedy running back, receiver and return man camped at Arkansas State and mentioned Arkansas, LSU, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech, TCU, Baylor and Michigan among other schools he’s visited or plans to visit soon. Mississippi State extended his first offer last March, and nearby Louisiana Tech could be an interesting program to watch. Cousin, friend and teammate Omarion Miller also committed this summer to Nebraska, whose staff and roster have enjoyed a rapidly increasing amount of Louisiana flair the past six months or so.
Jake Rizzo — 6-4, 240 ATH — Dunham
Colorado, Air Force, Army, Incarnate Word and Northwestern have been the first five offers for the big Baton Rouge standout, with others from the Ivy League to the SEC and Big 12 monitoring him heading into senior season. Rizzo camped at hometown LSU and home-state Tulane and is still determining where official visits may take him this fall.
Germonie Davis — 5-10, 165 ATH — Cecilia
Davis attended camps at LSU, Alabama, Tulane and McNeese State and is still determining potential visits to take during his senior season. Florida State extended an early offer 18 months ago, and Louisiana Christian did so in June.
Torey Lambert — 6-0, 190 ATH — Brother Martin
Offers thus far this year have included Marshall, Grambling State, Memphis, Louisiana (Lafayette), Air Force, Howard, Navy, Richmond and most recently Texas State during a summer visit. Louisiana (Lafayette) and Tulane have been among other programs to host Lambert, and Air Force made a visit this spring.
Jamaal Levi — 5-9, 155 ATH — Barbe
Northwestern State, Grambling State, Louisiana Christian, Southeastern Louisiana and McNeese State have extended offers to the record-setting Barbe receiver thus far this year and lived up to his “Speedy” nickname all summer with 40-yard dashes of 4.40 seconds at Louisiana (Lafayette) and McNeese State and 4.42 seconds at Houston.
Jai Eugene Jr. — 6-1, 175 ATH — Destrehan
The Wildcats’ quarterback, who figures to follow his father’s footsteps as a defensive back at the next level, made his recruiting rounds around the Gulf South this summer with some of the most recently notable programs appearing Houston, Liberty and Ole Miss, with their recent offers late this spring, and Mississippi State, scheduled to host Eugene this weekend. He has also spent notable time at LSU, where Jai Sr. played, and other in-states such as Louisiana (Lafayette) and Tulane, both of which offered earlier this year.
Cyler Christmas — 6-1, 165 ATH — St. James
Culver Stockton extended the first scholarship offer this summer to the playmaking safety, and Nicholls State, Louisiana (Lafayette) and Southeastern Louisiana have shown interest in the wake of camp performances on each campus and his role in the middle of his Wildcats’ defense in 7-on-7 tournament victories at Louisiana (Lafayette) and LSU.
Richard Lumpkin — 5-10, 175 ATH — Jeanerette
This year has been largely quiet on the recruiting front for the Jeanerette standout as he continued working his way back from an injury early last fall that cost him nearly his entire junior year. But Mississippi State extended an early offer last January, and the Bulldogs, Vanderbilt, Tulane and Jackson State have been among the programs on whose radars he remains entering a senior season during which he can re-establish himself as a name to know in the state’s 2023 class.
Ashton Stamps — 5-11, 160 ATH — Archbishop Rummel
The underrated defensive back’s work and persistence ultimately paid off this June when a series of trips, including camp competition, to Baton Rouge earned an offer from home-state LSU, to which he announced a commitment on July 4. Stamps is now one of the core pieces of the Tigers’ in-state representation and secondary haul in the 2023 cycle.
Cameron Leonard — 5-11, 185 ATH — Jonesboro-Hodge
“Smoke” made camp rounds all over Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi this summer and placed himself on the radars of programs such as Northwestern State, Nicholls State, Southern, Alcorn State, Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, Louisiana Tech, Tulane, UTSA, Lamar and Lyon College.
Jayven Claybrook — 6-1, 205 ATH — Logansport
The top prospect in Class 1A runner-up Logansport’s rising senior class has made the runs of north and central Louisiana’s programs — Louisiana Tech, ULM, Grambling State and Louisiana Christian — as well as Lamar in southeast Texas. He’s earned an offer from LC and been to Tech at least three times in the past four months.