Catching up with Louisiana's top 2023 safeties

LSU's well-known claim to the "DBU" moniker stems partially to the fact that Louisiana annually produces a slew of talented defensive backs with which the Tigers can lay the foundations for their secondaries.   The state's 2023 class boasts several Division-I talents in the position group, including a handful to have received offers from the Bayou Bengals.   Here's the latest information on the 11 safeties — taking into account some positional flexibility — who ranked in the top 100 in Prep Redzone's previous update prior to the summer. And stay tuned for a similar rundown of the best cornerbacks in the rising senior class.     [player_tooltip player_id='138303' first='Derek' last='Williams'] Jr. — 6-2, 185 DB — Westgate   Louisiana's top safety prospect announced his commitment to neighboring Texas just days after star quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='138484' first='Arch' last='Manning'] — the nation's top prospect, according to multiple outlets. But all indications thus far are that home-state LSU will continue battling for Williams into the fall, if not all the way to signing day. The Tigers have had mixed results in recent years recruiting Westgate — most notably keeping receiver Kayshon Boutte home in 2020, but watching tight end Danny Lewis spurn them for Alabama in 2022. Even despite the summer commitment, Williams and his ultimate destination could be one of Louisiana's top storylines come December or February.   [player_tooltip player_id='138305' first='Kylin' last='Jackson'] — 6-3, 195 DB — Zachary   Louisiana Tech, Tulane, Mississippi State and Virginia Tech kicked off Jackson's offer list the summer before his sophomore season even before he took the field for the powerhouse Broncos. Nearly two years last, that list is among Louisiana's most impressive with Power Five options from coast-to-coast. But Texas A&M and LSU have emerged as the apparent front-runners with a few visits to each, including last month.   [player_tooltip player_id='138304' first='Kam' last='Franklin'] — 6-3, 185 DB — Oak Grove   Franklin was among Louisiana's first 2023 prospects to announce a pledge this past November, immediately following his junior season, visited Stillwater, Okla., in January, April and June and has remained committed since then. But he has continued to hear from and get a feel for other programs, including more recent offers from Louisiana (Lafayette) and Ole Miss and trips to those two and TCU.   [player_tooltip player_id='138309' first='Chris' last='Clark'] — 6-3, 180 DB — Alexandria   The past two years have seen more baseball highlights than football — or recruiting information — come out on the Trojans' multisport athlete since a Mississippi State offer in January 2010 from a staffer who left the program within a few months for another opportunity.   [player_tooltip player_id='138327' first='Mar'Jayvious' last='Moss'] — 5-11, 170 DB — Northwood (Shreveport)   The versatile athlete from the northwest corner of the state has, along with teammate [player_tooltip player_id='138387' first='TaDerius' last='Collins'], been among Louisiana's top rising prospects the past several months even despite some limitations as he worked his way back to full health. His most recent offers include Oklahoma State, Memphis, New Mexico State, Vanderbilt and Minnesota, to go along with Baylor, Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech, Tulane, Louisiana (Lafayette), ULM, Northwestern State, Grambling State, Arkansas State and Southern Miss. And he's firmly on the radars of other Power Five programs such as LSU and Florida State.   [player_tooltip player_id='138315' first='Nicholas' last='Beckwith'] — 6-2, 190 DB — St. Thomas More   Air Force has been a prominent and steady presence throughout Beckwith's recruitment and is well-positioned for the long haul with an official visit scheduled following the season. Mississippi State and hometown Louisiana (Lafayette) have been among notable visits thus far, and Beckwith was able to compete in front of some others of the region's top programs this summer at Alabama's camp and a mega camp in Houston.   [player_tooltip player_id='138314' first='Brendon' last='Harris'] — 6-2, 195 DB — Homer   One of the Class 1A state champion Pelicans' defensive standouts will be repositioned from safety in the next rankings update following an offseason of continued physical development that has placed him more firmly at linebacker on most college boards. As for the campus destination to which he'll take his athleticism and physicality, Harris could have a nice mix of options near and far from which to choose come this winter. He camped at Tulane and ULM this summer and is also notably hearing from Northwestern State, UTSA, Connecticut and Dartmouth.   [player_tooltip player_id='188945' first='Treylan' last='James'] — 6-3, 175 DB — Madison Prep   James tore up the roads this summer with camp trips to LSU, Houston, Louisiana Tech, UTSA, Nicholls State and South Alabama and additional visits to Florida State, Tulane and Louisiana (Lafayette). He's still hashing out his plans for visits this fall, but has been hearing most consistently from coaches at Louisiana Tech, Grambling State, Louisville, Missouri and Incarnate Word. His current offers list includes Nicholls State, Louisiana Tech, Prairie View A&M, Northwestern State, Incarnate Word, Grambling State, Southern and South Alabama.   [player_tooltip player_id='138312' first='Cade' last='Middleton'] — 5-10, 165 DB — Riverside Academy   Another versatile athlete, Middleton has heard from different colleges about his potential to play safety, corner or wide receiver. He camped at Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss in June and heads to UTSA this weekend and hears most heavily from those three programs, Northwestern State, Houston, South Alabama and Indiana, with Florida State and Clemson also recently in touch.   Dezaray Delmore Jr. — 5-11, 175 DB — Woodlawn (Baton Rouge)   The underrated Panthers' defensive back was eager to hit the camp circuit this summer at Tulane, Louisiana (Lafayette) and Southern Miss before a minor injury in the first of those events changed those plans. "D.J." earned offers this year from Southern, Grambling State, Nicholls State, Northwestern State, Houston Baptist and Southeast Missouri and has also heard from Mississippi State, Texas Tech, Liberty, Central Arkansas, Alcorn State and others and has made visits to several of the in-state programs, including LSU, and to Starkville, Miss.   [player_tooltip player_id='276209' first='Cam' last='Hill'] — 6-3, 175 DB — Union Parish   The long, rangy Farmers' standout picked up Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic offers early this year and made a trip to Florida State before several in-state schools started moving into the forefront in his recruiting process. LSU, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana (Lafayette) and Grambling State were among his visits and camps during the following months, including offers from Louisiana Tech, Grambling State, Northwestern State. And shortly after the Bulldogs made their move in June, Hill committed to the nearby program.

LSU's well-known claim to the "DBU" moniker stems partially to the fact that Louisiana annually produces a slew of talented defensive backs with which the Tigers can lay the foundations for their secondaries.