Top Performers: Louisiana Bootleggers SWLA Team tryouts

Louisiana’s rapidly expanding 7-on-7 landscape wasted little time launching into its 2021 routine following the COVID-delayed high school season’s Dec. 30 conclusion. And one of the arms of the state’s premier program was the first to kick off its preseason tryout process as the Bootleggers’ Southwest Louisiana team headed to St. Martinville early on Jan. 2. The event drew a wide range of standouts from the 2021 through 2024 recruiting classes not just around Louisiana, but even a couple from across state lines. A handful of the top performers — including one bonus player of note — included: <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GRNXulZLuj0" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>Cowinn Helaire — 5-9, 150 WR — Lafayette Christian (2022)</strong> The Knights’ rising senior’s quickness was able to put defenders off balance off the line and create space out of breaks in his route and have one of the event’s more productive receiving performances. Helaire looks poised for a notable jump in opportunities this fall with weapons such as [player_tooltip player_id="63550" first="Sage" last="Ryan"] and Caemon "Speedy" Scott among Lafayette Christian’s departures. <strong>Austin Jackson — 5-8, 175 WR — Brother Martin (2022)</strong> The smaller receiver showed the same quickness and speed for which he’s known in the New Orleans Catholic League scene, but was also able to show his leaping ability and body control to go up and make difficult catches, including one or two behind him in the air, and toughness and focus to make contested catches in traffic. <strong>TJ Johnson — 6-3, 175 WR — Alexandria (2022)</strong> The rising senior led a solid contingent from the Class 5A runner-up Trojans with his ability to haul in any pass sent his way, whether creating space on shorter or intermediate routes in the field of play or going up over defenders in the end zone. No moment from the day garnered more attention, though, than a one-on-one in which a cornerback inadvertently pulled Johnson’s hoodie closed over his face — only for the Alexandria prospect to run his route blind, make his break and open the hood in time to secure the reception. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">2022 Alexandria WR T.J. Johnson (<a href="https://twitter.com/TjJohnson111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TjJohnson111</a>) had his hoodie pulled closed on this play — and still made the catch 😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InstagramSawItFirst?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InstagramSawItFirst</a>: <a href="https://t.co/Rng4lMDtIw">https://t.co/Rng4lMDtIw</a> <a href="https://t.co/RMFavTXG0n">pic.twitter.com/RMFavTXG0n</a></p> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1345769633417203715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>Antonio Meza — 5-10, 155 QB — San Antonio Christian (2024)</strong> Youngster Antonio Meza and his father made the long trek from San Antonio to seek out some of neighboring Louisiana’s top competition and left with an impression made on the bulk of the coaches and older players on hand. The mature and confident student-athlete, who trains with Nicholls State Hall-of-Fame quarterback Yale Vannoy, fit right in with the more veteran standouts and threw the ball all over the field to the weapons at his disposal. <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E8fg33fb6vc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63555" first="Malik" last="Nabers"] — 6-0, 180 WR — Southside (2021)</strong> After being forced to sit out his senior season after transferring schools, the LSU signee was eager to seek any reps and competition he could find to start the new year. Nabers took the short trip to St. Martinville in somewhat of a big brother role to the younger players on hand — spending half his time coaching and encouraging and the other half dominating head-to-head matchups once one-on-one and seven-on-seven sessions began. He showed the impressive ability to come down with jump balls for which he’s most known, but also a crafty route-running ability to bait defenders one direction and create himself open space the other. <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hlpCX7GJ8Q4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>Laterrance Welch — 6-1, 180 DB — Acadiana (2022)</strong> Probably not altogether the junior cornerback looked among the sharpest prospects in attendance — less than 60 hours removed from his state championship-saving interception. The bulk of the nation’s top college programs, many of which had already offered and others close to following suit, had expressed their interest in monitoring Welch’s progress in returning from a knee injury that sidelined him the bulk of 2020. And "LT" has seemed determined to show that he indeed has not lost any bit of a step from his breakout sophomore campaign. So far, so good for the long, physical prospect.