10 high-level stock-risers in final 2023 Louisiana rankings

Several familiar faces within Louisiana's top 100 prospects for the 2023 class finished both their high school careers and the class rankings strong.   Here's a breakdown of 10 of the most notable stock-risers in the final rankings: a new entry to the top 10, three entries to the top 20 and a few other larger leaps.   [player_tooltip player_id='138307' first='Jordan' last='Matthews'] | 6-2, 180 DB | Woodlawn (Baton Rouge)   The Panthers' star cornerback has always been a top-15 players in the Prep Redzone Louisiana rankings, but closes in the top 10 with a senior season in which he looked stronger than ever and showed flashes of an underrated physicality in his his game. Matthews has always been a long, rangy and fluid athlete, as well as one of the smartest and most mature prospects in the class with a GPA above a 4.0 and a focused and meticulous work ethic. He locked down his side of the field for three years as a starter, even in a consistently challenged district that included Catholic (Baton Rouge) star [player_tooltip player_id='138438' first='Shelton' last='Sampson'] Jr. for all three years. Matthews, an early enrollee at Tennessee, joined the Volunteers for bowl practice in December for a nice head-start to his college career.   [player_tooltip player_id='138390' first='Jonathan' last='Bax'] | 6-3, 235 LB/DL | Edna Karr   The athletic, long-framed edge rusher has lived around the top 30 or 35 positions in previous rankings updates, but makes a notable final leap after an absolutely dominant senior season. Bax was an absolute nightmare for opposing passers and pass-protectors and finished with 63 tackles, including 19 sacks and another 17 tackles for loss, with 24 quarterback hurries, 16 breakups, five forced fumbles and an interception. Even in the Cougars' quarterfinal loss to Catholic (Baton Rouge), he was the most impactful player on the field as he constantly burned past blockers to disrupt the Bears' offense. Bax committed to TCU last summer and stuck with that pledge on signing day.   [player_tooltip player_id='275575' first='Matthew' last='Fobbs-White'] | 6-3, 235 DL/LB | Neville   The Tigers' edge rusher soared up the rankings into the top 25 during his impressive junior year and makes another push all the way up to No. 15 after an even better senior campaign. Fobbs-White earned all-state honors with a 40-tackle performance that included 19 sacks, 25 hurries, three breakups and two forced fumbles. He possesses unreal explosiveness from his first step to his vicious tackling with cat quickness, violent hands and impressive closing speed all along the way — all of which combined to make him a more versatile defensive weapon as a senior able to line up from a variety of positions and still reach opposing quarterbacks. A slew of Power Five suitors came into play during his recruitment, but Fobbs-White opted to stay in Louisiana and helped headline one of Tulane's most highly regarded classes in program history as its highest-ranked in-state signee.   [player_tooltip player_id='275578' first='Dylan' last='Carpenter'] | 6-4, 235 DL/LB | St. Amant   Another edge rusher who has been a steady climber on this list the past couple of years makes his largest leap yet, up to No. 20, following a senior year in which he was a more versatile and impactful playmaker for his Gators' defense than ever before and earned an offer from nearby LSU in the process. Carpenter is a powerful, explosive athlete capable of bull-rushing through opposing blockers with the quickness and speed to beat tackles around the edge. As a senior, St. Amant would also stand him up as a linebacker in the middle of the defense so that opposing offenses could no long run everything away from him. Carpenter should live up front in college, but he could be a versatile option across the line depending on how he and the Tigers choose to develop him.   [player_tooltip player_id='275579' first='Justin' last='Horne'] | 6-1, 210 LB | John Curtis   The Texas Tech signee had jumped from the 60's to around No. 40 in the past couple ratings updates, but makes his final leap to No. 21 after a senior year as one of the best defensive players in Louisiana, including earning LSWA Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year honors over several other players on this list. Horne was a sideline-to-sideline tackle machine with 144 total, including 17 for loss and six sacks, despite being the clear leader of a young defense and facing a challenging schedule of 5A opponents working to slow him down. The multisport standout, who is also a record-breaking hurdler, has always giving opponents fits with his quickness in the box. He also showed an ability this year to drop back or split out in coverage that will make him an even more valuable defender in the wide-open Big 12.   [player_tooltip player_id='138370' first='Deshaun' last='Batiste'] | 6-3, 250 DL/LB | John F. Kennedy   A sixth straight defensive standout to lead this list, including a fifth straight edge rusher or linebacker. Quarterbacks have long been the faces of Louisiana's 2023 class, but the state is sending an impressive group of prospects to defenses all over the country. The Troy signee should be a sleeper to watch after a hyper-productive high school career on the football field all while juggling basketball and baseball as well. The relentless Batiste, nicknamed "The Reaper," maintained explosiveness and speed while bulking up almost 30 pounds from his previous listed weight and followed up a 22-sack junior season with 18 as a senior to help lead his Cougars to an 11-2 record and quarterfinal appearance and earn LSWA Class 4A all-state honors.   [player_tooltip player_id='138324' first='Kevin' last='Adams'] | 5-11, 180 DB | Destrehan   The first of three state championship Destrehan players on this list has been a steady riser the past two years from the 90's to 60's to a final position at No. 40 after his all-state senior season. Adams was among the fastest players on the Wildcats' roster with listed 4.42-second 40-yard and 10.75-second 100-meter dashes that have served the versatile defensive back well as both a corner and free safety during his high school career. He makes good, quick reads with few wasted steps and covers a lot of ground in a hurry, which he used to snatch seven interceptions or get downhill quickly for 35.5 total tackles and 2.5 for loss. The Tulane signee also showed a knack for rising to the occasion in big moments, including a pick-six in the semifinals and a tackle for loss and forced fumble in the state title game that lead to a field goal.   [player_tooltip player_id='138413' first='Landry' last='Cannon'] | 6-4, 330 OL | Destrehan   The member of Destrehan's solid, state championship offensive line group that has been on the radar the longest arguably had the best season of the bunch that helped paved the way for almost 5,000 yards of offense and the Division-I nonselect title. Cannon's coaches graded him a 91% for his final campaign, including 29 pancake blocks. The Wildcats relied heavily on following the big right guard's lead in the running game, whether as a powerful, straight-forward mauler or showing his impressive mobility for his size pulling and getting up the left side of the field. And, as with his blocking, Cannon finishes strong with a push up to No. 41 on the final list. Tulane was able to flip the one-time Louisiana (Lafayette) commitment to stay that much closer to home.   [player_tooltip player_id='138469' first='Arnold' last='Barnes'] | 5-10, 210 RB | Booker T. Washington (New Orleans)   The highlights for Barnes have always been impressive, but his continued work in both football and track and field — including an 11.2-second 100-meter sprint while bulking up almost 20 pounds — only made him a faster and more consistent running back even as his Lions faced stiffer competition and as he became more a focal point for those opposing defenses. "Duda," who stays home with Tulane despite pushes by Nebraska and Iowa, racked up 1,577 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior in Class 3A, then 1,722 yards and 22 scores as a senior in Class 4A, including a 381-yard, six-TD night in a win vs. John Ehret. Barnes has bounced around the middle of the top 100 throughout his high school career and finishes with a strong jump back forward at No. 44.   [player_tooltip player_id='138445' first='Daniel' last='Blood'] | 6-0, 175 WR | Destrehan   The Wildcats' senior was a threat to find the end zone from anywhere on the field this fall with 33 receptions for 708 yards (21.5 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns on offense and 17 punt returns for 343 yards (20.2 yards per return) and four touchdowns. Those numbers combine for Blood scoring a touchdown every 3.1 times touching the ball. Destrehan would move the smooth route-runner up inside or outside on offense and allow him to either set defensive backs up, then blow by them for deep verticals or break himself free for intermediate routes he could turn into bigger plays with runs after. Missouri pounced on the one-time Louisiana (Lafayette) commitment to bring him to the SEC where his floor might be as a dynamic special teams weapon. But Blood has also shown an ability to go up over defensive backs for some contested catches and a willingness to block that should bode well for his continued development at the next level. He closes the 2023 rankings with another jump up to No. 47.

Several familiar faces within Louisiana's top 100 prospects for the 2023 class finished both their high school careers and the class rankings strong.