Louisiana's top 2024 prospects countdown: Nos. 30 to 21

Prep Redzone Louisiana will release its updated 2024 rankings this week, including a new top prospect at No. 1.   Leading up to the complete, 200-player list on Thursday, we will count down the top 30 in greater detail.   And make sure to check back throughout the week following the release for additional features and positional breakdowns.   Read more about <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/03/top-louisiana-2024-prospects-30-21-spring-update/">Nos. 30-21</a> below.   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/03/top-louisiana-2024-prospects-20-1-spring-update/">Click here to read more about Nos. 20-11</a>.   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/03/top-louisiana-2024-prospects-10-6-spring-update/">Click here to read more about Nos. 10-6</a>.   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/03/top-louisiana-2024-prospects-5-1-spring-update/">Click here to read more about Nos. 5-1</a>.     30. [player_tooltip player_id='139480' first='Brennon' last='Thompson'] | 6-0, 180 ATH | East Ascension   The Spartans' three-phase standout has been a longtime Prep Redzone Louisiana favorite with rankings in the No. 8 to No. 12 range in previous updates. The only change here is that he's one of what feels like a particularly long list of prospects in this class that are ramping up their final high school offseason in varying degree of wait-and-see mode as they return from or work through injuries. But Thompson's early weeks of 7-on-7 season have been encouraging that he is back to full-form and ready to showcase the explosiveness and athleticism that — along with his intelligence, instincts and ball skills — have made him an underrated prospect to watch in the state's 2024 class. Grambling State and Tulane were his first offers last summer, and many more should be in store with a good spring and summer this year.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/K5zVaEJuinM </div></figure>     29. [player_tooltip player_id='285268' first='Bobby' last='Kennedy'] | 6-3, 180 ATH | St. Augustine   The long, rangy athlete projects most likely as a safety at the next level, though he initially hit Prep Redzone Louisiana's radar as a young wide receiver at John F. Kennedy and played primarily at corner his junior season at St. Augustine. Kennedy is a springy, multisport standout who, along with his friend next on this list, is also one of the Purple Knights' top basketball players. Ole Miss, ULM, Southeastern Louisiana and Alabama State have been among his early offers.   28. [player_tooltip player_id='139475' first='Joshua' last='Jackson'] | 6-3, 180 WR | St. Augustine   As mentioned above, Jackson and Kennedy possess similar measurable and multisport athleticism as key members of a St. Augustine basketball team set to compete later this week in the Division-I quarterfinals. Jackson is a slightly thicker athlete and spends the bulk of his time on offense where he showcases good explosivenessness off the line and through and away from attempted tacklers and high-level ball skills on passes his way. Ole Miss, Michigan, Nebraska, Tulane, Louisiana (Lafayette), Arkansas State, ULM, East Carolina Marshall, Grambling State, Florida A&M and Jackson State have all extended offers during the past two years.   27. [player_tooltip player_id='139495' first='Kyle' last='Williams'] | 6-0, 175 DB | Northshore   The Panthers' standout's storyline has been unfortunately similar to Thompson's as a longtime Prep Redzone Louisiana favorite, previously ranked in the top 10 throughout his high school career, but with injuries having disrupted back-to-back back-to-back school years — costing much of his sophomore season, limiting him as a junior and now delaying his offseason opportunities to showcase his notable potential on the 7-on-7 or camp circuits. With his strength, long reach, good feet and hips, ball skills, poise, work ethic and character, the ceiling is clearly high for Williams as one of the top cornerbacks in a seemingly underrated defensive back class in Louisiana overall.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/ISNBKmYhHgc </div></figure>     26. [player_tooltip player_id='139471' first='Cullen' last='Charles'] | 6-0, 190 ATH | St. Martinville   Like the previous four prospects, the St. Martinville athlete has been on the recruiting radar throughout his high school career with an offer list that includes Tulane, UCF, Memphis, Houston, ULM, Southern Miss, Grambling State. Charles is a thickly built athlete with strong high-pointing and overall ball skills who has added 20 points of good weight during that span and still flies as a consistent threat vertically, for yards after the catch and in the return game. Charles has also shown a knack for clutch and game-winning catches from an early age on the 7-on-7 circuit and this season for his Tigers across from senior standout [player_tooltip player_id='138440' first='Harvey' last='Broussard']. And as more of a focal point in the offense this fall, Charles seems like a strong candidate to be among the state's most productive receivers in his final high school campaign.   25. [player_tooltip player_id='285277' first='Joseph' last='Cryer'] | 6-4, 290 OL | Natchitoches Central   One of the top few offensive linemen in another seemingly solid class for the position group by Louisiana's standards, Cryer will be wearing a new jersey this year as he follows now-former Many coach Jess Curtis to Natchitoches Central. The big interior mauler has been another longtime Prep Redzone Louisiana favorite and climbs from No. 31 to No. 25 in this rankings update with some consideration as high as the mid-teens on varying drafts of the list. Ultimately this year, on the camp circuit and then moving from Class 2A to Class 5A competition this fall should provide a lot more clarity exactly how high he should climb. But Cryer is a strong blocker — and powerlifter — who explodes off the ball and puts defenders on skates or the turf with a fittingly long offer list that includes Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Michigan State, Nebraska, Tulane, Houston, Louisiana (Lafayette), Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Arkansas State, ULM, Southern Miss, Northwestern State, Grambling State, Lamar   24. [player_tooltip player_id='145325' first='Ty' last='Lee'] | 6-0, 170 DB | Lafayette Christian   [player_tooltip player_id='139261' first='Ju'Juan' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='285654' first='Melvin' last='Hills III'] and [player_tooltip player_id='421516' first='Sandy' last='Lewis'] have garnered most of the recruiting headlines for Lafayette Christian's 2024 recruiting class. But the Knight's cohort includes some good depth beyond that trio, including one of the state's most underrated prospects in defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='145325' first='Ty' last='Lee'], who played alongside 2022 Division-I prospects Jordan Allen (LSU) and Bryan Green (Liberty) as a sophomore and stepped into a lead role this fall as a junior. Lee is a fluid and impressively polished corner at his age with long arms and good ball skills and showed his strength and physicality this fall against a schedule full of run-dominant offenses in which he consistently read plays, shed blockers and came downhill for sure tackles — finishing with 73 for the season, including 55 solos and several near or behind the line. He and Johnson got quickly to work this offseason on their technique and speed training, with coaches saying Lee is running stride for stride with his Colorado-committed friend.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/-mLVGZMIOSs </div></figure>     23. [player_tooltip player_id='144887' first='Tony' last='Burns'] | 6-1, 180 DB | University Lab   Few players in Louisiana have helped their stock more not only this school year, but just during the past six weeks during the offseason 7-on-7 schedule than Burns. The younger brother of LSU safety Major Burns is now a 6-foot-1 — potentially pushing 6-foot-2 — athlete with a good, strong build and length, physicality and aggressiveness that stand out and a great feel for the game that enables him to read, react and play faster than many of his peers. Tony played early for U-High, but stepped into a more prominent role — primarily at corner — as a junior following the departure of Auburn signee Austin Ausberry and the Cubs' 2022 class and manned his side of the field well against many opponents' top targets in a year of development and maturation. Grambling State offered last summer, and Burns seems poised for a major recruiting blow-up this spring.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/RNkJNsFEjvQ </div></figure>     22. [player_tooltip player_id='285271' first='Anthony' last='Robinson III'] | 6-0, 185 ATH | Destrehan   Even with the Wildcats' deep and talented 2023 group leading the undefeated state championship run, the versatile and explosive junior athlete earned — and shined in — opportunities in all three phases. Robinson boasts 4.44-second 40-yard and 10.87 100-meter speed that he flashed as a returner, ball-carrier, receiver out of the backfield or slot and all over the field on defense covering the slot, bringing pressure off the edge, run-fitting or spying the quarterback, all at a high level. Ole Miss and Mississippi State extended offers last summer, followed by Tulane in October and Missouri, Miami, Georgia Tech, Louisiana (Lafayette), Memphis, Louisiana Tech, ULM and Marshall all joining the mix since the start of the new calendar year.   21. [player_tooltip player_id='675891' first='Dylan' last='Day'] | 6-0, 170 DB | Southern Lab   The Southern Lab ballhawk has similar measurables to Lee, his 7-on-7 teammate with F3 Elite, and showed a similar willingness and physicality this fall to crash down in run support. But the Kittens' opponents appeared to provide more opportunities for Day to display not only his coverage skills, but his play with the ball in the air his direction and, ultimately, in his hands after interceptions. And he excelled in those instances with great instincts and reads, quick feet and explosive track speed to close on and jump passes for takeaways and get swiftly up the field the opposite direction. Grambling State, Louisiana Tech and Tulane extended Day's first offers during last summer, and he has become one of Louisiana's hottest names on the trail early in 2023 with Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Baylor, Miami, West Virginia, Arizona State, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Arkansas State and Marshall all joining his list during the past two months.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/XrdYDTBnRB0 </div></figure>

Prep Redzone Louisiana will release its updated 2024 rankings this week, including a new top prospect at No. 1.