Louisiana’s top 10 uncommitted seniors entering August

Even after a hectic summer of dozens of commitments, Louisiana enters August with several notable rising seniors — including potential Power-Five talents — still available on the recruiting trail. A few of the standout athletes have zeroed in closely enough on their top options that decision announcements could still come before the season officially kicks off Labor Day weekend. Meanwhile, a high-profile star recently rejoined the list. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136477" first="Jacoby" last="Mathews"] — 6-2, 215 ATH — Ponchatoula</strong> The state’s top-ranked prospect committed to LSU in April — despite a strong push from Arizona State — and immediately became an apparent cornerstone in the home-state powerhouse’s 2022 class. But Mathews reopened his recruitment Friday after a summer that of continued pushes from Texas A&amp;M and others. The Tigers remain well-positioned to still land the Ponchatoula star, but the startling development is far from ideal. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136478" first="Kendrick" last="Law"] — 6-0, 195 ATH — Captain Shreve</strong> Law would have led this list prior to the Mathews decommitment. Alabama, Florida State and LSU appear to have risen to the forefront over the course of the summer. Law could be an impact player on either side of the ball at the next level. And while he had seemed to lean more toward running back or wide receiver, he had an impressive summer showing on the defensive side of the ball, as well. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="128240" first="Shazz" last="Preston"] — 6-1, 190 WR — St. James</strong> One of the first members of the 2022 class to burst onto the recruiting scene as an underclassman may be drawing nearer his final decision. Preston and his family hit the road hard this summer to weigh the options, with LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Miami, USC and Mississippi State among the leaders. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136573" first="Quency" last="Wiggins"] — 6-7, 270 DL — Madison Prep</strong> The rapidly improving defensive end has looked for some time to be the latest in a long line of recruiting battles between LSU and Alabama. Nearby Texas is pushing hard to be a third option. An impressive situation for an athlete who only returned to the sport less than a year and a half ago. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136574" first="J’Mond" last="Tapp"] — 6-3, 245 DL — Ascension Catholic</strong> Another standout defensive end for whom LSU has figured prominently throughout his recruitment, but the longtime Tigers ties haven’t slowed down other programs from entering the mix. Oregon most recently offered July 27 as the latest example of options coast to coast. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136575" first="Maxie" last="Baudoin"] — 6-3, 290 DL — Ascension Episcopal</strong> The big defensive tackle shared an SEC-heavy top five in mid-June of Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&amp;M and USC. Auburn has appeared to top his list for quite some time, with a potential decision looming this fall. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="127856" first="Trevor" last="Etienne"] — 5-10, 210 RB — Jennings</strong> The younger brother of now-former Clemson star Travis Etienne is the last of Louisiana’s top trio of running backs to remain uncommitted. Istrouma’s [player_tooltip player_id="127859" first="Le’Veon" last="Moss"] announced Alabama plans in early June, and Lake Charles College Prep’s Tre’Vonte Citizen locked in with LSU in late July. The younger Etienne could join either, follow his brother’s footsteps or veer elsewhere — with Georgia, Florida or Auburn most likely in that case. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136629" first="Lorenzell" last="Dubose"] — 6-1, 170 DB — Neville</strong> Could recent conference realignment news help put Oklahoma over the top for the Monroe cornerback for whom the Sooners had seemed to lead the way as his recruitment gained steam this spring? Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt are among SEC members already in the mix, along with Purdue, Memphis and in-state programs such as Tulane, Louisiana Tech and Louisiana (Lafayette). <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136479" first="Austin" last="Ausberry"] — 6-1, 205 ATH — University Lab</strong> LSU has been a long-held assumption for the older son of high-ranking athletics official Verge Ausberry, himself an alumnus and former Tigers standout. Both Austin and younger brother [player_tooltip player_id="138276" first="Jaiden" last="Ausberry"] received purple-and-gold offers among the first Power Five options on their lists. But Alabama, Florida, Michigan and Notre Dame have been among the slew of others not shying away from the talented young athletes. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136480" first="Javae" last="Gilmore"] — 6-4, 190 ATH — Amite</strong> Gilmore may represent the best opportunity on this list for a Group of Five program to manage a steal, following a strong push of late from Louisiana Tech for a versatile standout with LSU, Florida State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Georgia Tech all in his top seven. The Bulldogs have had success recruiting Amite in the past, and the current fit for former Warriors standout Kyle Maxwell in Ruston is helping their cause.