Louisiana QB recruiting picture coming into focus

This summer has quickly brought into focus the long-term picture of Louisiana’s rare, if not historic, run of quarterback prospects. St. Thomas More star [player_tooltip player_id="127700" first="Walker" last="Howard"] entered 2021 as the state’s only committed prospect at the position for the 2022 or 2023 recruiting cycles. But three other top quarterbacks have announced pledges of their own in the past three months, and others have gained some clarity with an active stretch of offers, camp performances and campus visits. Here are some of the developments for a few of the state’s top rising senior and rising junior passers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="127700" first="Walker" last="Howard"] — 6-1, 185 QB — St. Thomas More (2022)</strong> The son of former LSU quarterback Jamie Howard announced his commitment to the Tigers last spring, led his current Cougars to a Division-II state championship in the fall and has been a leader on the recruiting trail through the first half of 2021 to help bring standouts such as linemen [player_tooltip player_id="136546" first="Will" last="Campbell"], [player_tooltip player_id="136547" first="Emery" last="Jones"], [player_tooltip player_id="136548" first="Bo" last="Bordelon"] and [player_tooltip player_id="136581" first="Fitzgerald" last="West"] Jr. aboard the class. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IFk_qZO_RAk" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="127701" first="Landry" last="Lyddy"] — 6-0, 190 QB — Calvary Baptist (2022)</strong> The record-setting Cavaliers quarterback finally received a long-awaited Louisiana Tech offer late this spring and agreed to commit to the nearby Bulldogs before the NCAA reopened the recruiting world in June. He has taken on a similar leadership role for the class and started pitching peers on the potential of connecting at the next level in Ruston. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f8PVk8WSppo" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="127757" first="Zeon" last="Chriss"] — 6-2, 200 QB — Madison Prep (2022)</strong> The Outstanding Player from the Chargers’ dominant 50-0 state championship victory in December became the state’s third rising senior quarterback to commit when he locked into Louisiana (Lafayette) in July. Chriss has been impressed with the way coach Billy Napier and company have developed another Baton Rouge product in former Scotlandville star Levi Lewis and hops to follow a similar path to collegiate success. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RMNBAQL7M80" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138485" first="Eli" last="Holstein"] — 6-3, 180 QB — Zachary (2023)</strong> The Broncos’ star became the first domino of Louisiana’s talented and deep 2023 class to fall when he committed to Texas A&amp;M in June. Coach Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies see Holstein as one of the best prospects at the position they will have had the opportunity to sign. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JeK6vaAjheQ" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138484" first="Arch" last="Manning"] — 6-3, 190 QB — Newman (2023)</strong> Few, if any, prospects around the country have the same level of recruiting and media attention on them as young star in New Orleans, the grandson of former Saints quarterback Archie Manning and nephew of Super Bowl quarterbacks Peyton and Eli. Arch was finally able to hit the camp and visit trail to destinations such as Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas. And while those options still leave plenty to sort through, the summer provided a big step toward his eventual decision. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ItRTIBKTQbo" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138486" first="Rickie" last="Collins"] — 6-3, 180 QB — Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) (2023)</strong> Collins’ recruitment exploded this spring, with summer offers from Power Five programs such as LSU, Purdue and, most recently, TCU appear to loom particularly large. The Tigers, where Woodlawn coach Marcus Randall played his college ball, represent an obviously intriguing hometown opportunity, but the Boilermakers have impressed Collins in their constant and enthusiastic recruiting efforts. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iSH_AwW1QAU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138487" first="Reese" last="Mooney"] — 6-2, 185 QB — Denham Springs (2023)</strong> No Louisiana quarterback hauled in more scholarship offers during the lock-down year than the multisport athlete, who had initially been on the college radars more for his baseball prowess. A pair of SEC programs and Vanderbilt and Arkansas became the most recent this summer, and this fall — Mooney’s first as the Yellow Jackets’ full-time starter — should go a long way in determining his college landing spot. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HusDHhTJflw" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>A.J. Samuel — 6-0, 170 QB — Edna Karr (2023)</strong> The Cougars’ standout said he has taken to heart and learned from a disappointing runner-up finish to a strong sophomore season as the starter for the New Orleans powerhouse and constantly displayed impressive leadership this spring and summer. Hawaii and Northwestern State have been among Samuel’s first offers. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dQraqOq7-fo" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138489" first="Czavian" last="Teasett"] — 6-3, 195 QB — Scotlandville (2023)</strong> Ole Miss put Teasett on the recruiting map with an early offer in December 2019 before he even took the reins as the Hornets’ starter this past fall. He helped lead Scotlandville past Zachary to a District 4-5A championship and a No. 2 seed in the Division-I playoffs, and Southern, South Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana Tech all extended offers this summer. Visits to Fayetteville and Ruston have the Razorbacks and Bulldogs figuring prominently in his recruitment as he prepares for junior season. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dkMJ1WKNJpM" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>