Louisiana’s 2022 season showcases QB depth of 2023 class, beyond
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Top-end quarterback talent and pedigree made the 2023 class anticipated, spotlighted, debated and scrutinized like few, if any, others to come through Louisiana. Yet, as the 2022 season reached not even its state championships, but its semifinals, all that group’s…
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Continue ReadingTop-end quarterback talent and pedigree made the 2023 class anticipated, spotlighted, debated and scrutinized like few, if any, others to come through Louisiana.
Yet, as the 2022 season reached not even its state championships, but its semifinals, all that group’s headliners and their teams found themselves eliminated and spectating for the playoffs’ final weeks.
The absence of star Power Five-bound passers such as Arch Manning Arch Manning 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Newman | 2023 State LA (Newman, Texas), Eli Holstein Eli Holstein 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB Zachary | 2023 State LA (Zachary, Alabama) and Rickie Collins Rickie Collins 6'3" | 180 lbs | QB Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) | 2023 State LA (Woodlawn-BR, LSU) in the Caesars Superdome didn’t make for a lack of quality performances from the position.
Rather, other standouts finished the season with a bang that helped further underscore the rare level of quarterback talent currently coming through Louisiana’s high school ranks.
THE SENIORS
No better place to start that D’Wanye’ Winfield D’Wanye’ Winfield 6'1" | 210 lbs | ATH Lutcher | 2023 State LA , whose final high school game helped open the door to his college opportunity at Louisiana (Lafayette). The Lutcher star had been among the state’s top athletes the past three years, but been largely overlooked as a potential FBS quarterback. “Lunch” followed up an epic semifinal rushing performance with an impressive passing effort through the air against a stout, stingy defense determined not to let him win with his legs. Winfield completed 20 of 32 pass attempts for 299 yards and three touchdowns, rushed 43 times for 130 yards and another score and now joins a list of likely eight or more seniors from around the state that appear poised to have the opportunity to sign as quarterbacks with Division-I college programs.
That strong cohort, particularly in the era of the transfer portal, already includes another title-game participant in Eastern Kentucky-signed Dunham quarterback Jackson House Jackson House 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Dunham | 2023 State LA , the aforementioned Power Five trio, Liberty-signed Denham Springs quarterback Reese Mooney Reese Mooney 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Denham Springs | 2023 State LA and Texas Southern-signed Huntington quarterback Kamron Evans Kamron Evans 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Huntington | 2023 State LA . And Scotlandville’s Czavian Teasett Czavian Teasett 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Scotlandville | 2023 State LA and Northwood (Shreveport)’s Mason Welch Mason Welch 6'3" | 220 lbs | QB Northwood (Shreveport) | 2023 State LA could still join in February. House completed seven of 14 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 19 times for 102 yards and another score.
Landon Graves Landon Graves 6'0" | 185 lbs | QB Ouachita Christian | 2023 State LA put the bow on his record-setting Ouachita Christian career with a 19-for-25, 215-yard, two-score passing effort and 12-yard rushing touchdown that showed off both his arm and his legs. Ayden Authement Ayden Authement 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH St. Charles | 2023 State LA finished his St. Charles Catholic career undefeated as a starter by making critical winning plays late to claim the Comets’ second straight state title. He finished 13-for-18 for 182 yards and a touchdown with another 57 yards and a score on 17 rushes. And Ruston standout Jaden Osborne Jaden Osborne 6'0" | 160 lbs | ATH Ruston | 2023 State LA led the Bearcats back to their first Dome appearance since 1998 and completed 11 of 24 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown in a low-scoring battle.
Destrehan and Many stars Jai Eugene Jr. Jai Eugene Jr. 6'1" | 175 lbs | ATH Destrehan | 2023 State LA and Tackett Curtis Tackett Curtis 6'2" | 210 lbs | LB Many | 2023 State LA will play on defense in college, but led their respective offenses back to the top of their respective divisions — the Wildcats’ first crown since 2008 and the Tigers’ second in three years. Eugene completed 11 of 21 passes for 158 yards, including a few well-thrown darts along the way, and rushed 12 times for 67 yards, including the 29-yard game-winning score. And Curtis rushed seven times for 99 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a ridiculous 80-yard tackles-breaking breakaway.
Along with Teasett and Welch, other notable seniors around the state include Gray Walters Gray Walters 6'3" | 175 lbs | QB Benton | 2023 State LA (Benton), A.J. Samuel (Edna Karr), Khylan Gross Khylan Gross 6'2" | 170 lbs | QB Liberty Magnet | 2023 State LA (Liberty Magnet), Grayson Saunier Grayson Saunier 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Lafayette | 2023 State LA (Lafayette), Will McClain Will McClain 6'0" | 170 lbs | QB Barbe | 2023 State LA (Barbe), Keddrick Connelly Keddrick Connelly 6'1" | 190 lbs | QB Warren Easton | 2023 State LA (Warren Easton), Chantz Ceaser Chantz Ceaser 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Carencro | 2023 State LA (Carencro), Khameron Boykins Khameron Boykins 6'2" | 170 lbs | QB Logansport | 2023 State LA (Logansport) and Mills Dawson Mills Dawson 6'5" | 190 lbs | QB East Feliciana | 2023 State LA (East Feliciana).
THE JUNIORS
Lafayette Christian junior Ju’Juan Johnson Ju’Juan Johnson 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Lafayette Christian | 2024 State LA , another highly regarded defensive prospect for colleges, was another of the undeniable stars of the Prep Classic leading his team’s offense. The promising young cornerback completed 21 of 34 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns and ran 33 times for another 245 yards and two scores for a record 586 total yards. And his toughness was on full display as he not only shook back from one hard hit after another, but also dished out his own fair share of punishment to opposing defenders as well.
Across the field in the rematch of district foes, fellow junior Sam Altmann Sam Altmann 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB St. Thomas More | 2024 State LA overcame some early nerves to provide a thrilling comeback with a record-matching sixth touchdown lifting St. Thomas More to its third title in four years. LSU signee Walker Howard’s successor to the Cougars’ offense completed 21 of 38 passes for 352 yards and the half-dozen scores that included the game-winning rope to Connor Stelly in the final seconds.
And legendary John Curtis coach J.T. Curtis praised his own junior quarterback, Dagan Bruno, for not only his 38-yard touchdown to strike first in the Division I select showdown with district rival Brother Martin to cap the event, but for his overall management of the Patriots’ offense. He finished 6-for-12 for 109 yards and rushed 11 times for 25 yards and another score.
Altmann and Bruno joined Johnson and Catholic (Baton Rouge) standout Daniel Beale Daniel Beale 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA , who played in 2020 and 2021 title games, as members of Louisiana’s 2024 cohort to have led their teams in title games. And other talented passers in that cycle include Preston Welch Preston Welch 6'2" | 210 lbs | QB Teurlings Catholic | 2024 State LA (Teurlings Catholic), Will Taylor Will Taylor 6'3" | 175 lbs | QB St. Thomas More | 2024 State LA (St. Thomas More), Lynkon Romero Lynkon Romero 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Erath | 2024 State LA (Erath), Abram Johnston Abram Johnston 6'1" | 190 lbs | QB Parkview Baptist | 2024 State LA (Parkview Baptist), Brayden Williams Brayden Williams 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB St. James | 2024 State LA (St. James), Josiah Bushnell Josiah Bushnell 5'11" | 175 lbs | ATH Iowa | 2024 State LA (Lake Charles College Prep) and Dawson Simmons Dawson Simmons 6'0" | 170 lbs | ATH St. Augustine | 2024 State LA (St. Augustine).
AND BEYOND
A couple of the state’s talented underclassman were also on display on the big stage in Oak Grove sophomore Jackson Bradley Jackson Bradley 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Oak Grove | 2025 State LA and North DeSoto freshman Luke Delafield Luke Delafield 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB North DeSoto | 2026 State LA . The former helped lead his Tigers’ power running attack, compiling 109 yards and the exclamation-mark touchdown, which paired nicely with a shutout defensive showing to claim the Division IV nonselect victory. And the latter slung some of the week’s prettiest deep balls that gave a glimpse of why his Griffins’ coaches haven’t been shy about projecting him as one of the nation’s top prospects for his class. Delafield went 23-for-39 for 320 yards and two touchdowns, despite four interceptions along the way.
Vermilion Catholic sophomore Jonathan Dartez Jonathan Dartez 5'9" | 170 lbs | ATH Vermilion Catholic | 2025 LA also provided the bulk of his Eagles’ offensive spark with 115 rushing yards and a goal-line score and another 96 yards on 9-for-17 passing. He finished the season as an all-district and all-state first-team selection completing 72 percent of his passes for 1,397 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushing for 1,515 yards and 17 more scores.
Other young passers already on the radar include Ben Latino IV Ben Latino IV 6'2" | 150 lbs | QB St. Thomas Aquinas | 2025 LA (St. Thomas Aquinas), Jerry Horne Jerry Horne 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB Denham Springs | 2025 State LA (Denham Springs), Tylan Johnson Tylan Johnson 5'10" | 180 lbs | QB Madison Prep | 2025 State LA (Madison Prep), Abram Wardell Abram Wardell 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Calvary Baptist | 2025 State LA (Calvary Baptist), Sawyer Pruitt Sawyer Pruitt 6'5" | 215 lbs | QB Live Oak | 2025 LA (Live Oak), Colton Morris Colton Morris 6'0" | 205 lbs | QB Loranger | 2025 State LA (Loranger), Cortland Brownfield Cortland Brownfield 5'11" | 175 lbs | QB University Lab | 2025 State LA (University Lab), Caleb Gonzales Caleb Gonzales 5'10" | 170 lbs | QB Zachary | 2025 State LA (Zachary), Brodie Savage Brodie Savage 6'3" | 155 lbs | QB Captain Shreve | 2025 State LA (Captain Shreve) and Jackson Firmin Jackson Firmin 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Central (Baton Rouge) | 2025 State LA (Central) among others.