5 Acadiana area players PRZLA hopes to catch as spring opens
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The LHSAA’s official window for spring football opened Monday with a few schools around the state already taking the field and the vast majority kicking off their sessions in the next two weeks. Prep Redzone Louisiana has already started making…
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Continue ReadingThe LHSAA’s official window for spring football opened Monday with a few schools around the state already taking the field and the vast majority kicking off their sessions in the next two weeks.
Prep Redzone Louisiana has already started making some rounds, but won’t be able to catch everyone.
We’ll start over the next few days by pointing out and highlighting five players from each area we’d like to see — with priority given to rising upperclassmen and for prospects we’d be seeing for the first time, the first time in an extended stretch or the first time since some notable development.
And a series will follow highlighting six or more student-athletes from each school visited with a mix of returning veterans, breakout candidates and underclassmen to know for years to come.
The Acadiana area in particular feels as though it could warrant its own top-25 list and an entire month of visits. But, in sticking with the running format, here are a leading handful.
Trae Grogan Trae Grogan 6'1" | 180 lbs | WR Lafayette Christian | 2024 State LA — 6-1, 180 WR — Lafayette Christian (2024)
Ju’Juan Johnson Ju’Juan Johnson 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Lafayette Christian | 2024 State LA , Melvin Hills III Melvin Hills III 6'4" | 265 lbs | DL Lafayette Christian | 2024 State LA and Sandy Lewis Sandy Lewis 6'2" | 235 lbs | LB Lafayette Christian | 2024 State LA have headlined the Knights’ impressive 2024 class throughout their high school careers, and largely underrated cornerback Ty Lee Ty Lee 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB Lafayette Christian | 2024 State LA has started to gain some traction on the recruiting trail. But Grogan showed some flashes late last season of his potential for a breakout final year of high school and his own college opportunities. And with top receivers such as Alonzo Ryes Alonzo Ryes 5'10" | 165 lbs | ATH Lafayette Christian | 2023 State LA and Alex Beard Alex Beard 5'9" | 150 lbs | WR Lafayette Christian | 2023 State LA graduating, Grogan may also be a notably pivotal player in the Knights’ title hopes this fall.
Landon Hammond Landon Hammond 6'2" | 160 lbs | DB Opelousas | 2025 State LA — 6-2, 160 DB — Opelousas (2025)
Or any number of Tigers’ standouts, particularly from the 2025 class: running back D’Shaun Ford D’Shaun Ford 5'11" | 210 lbs | RB Opelousas | 2025 State LA (5-11, 210), edge rusher Corey Amos Corey Amos 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Opelousas | 2025 State LA (6-3, 205) or wide receiver Korey Fontenot Korey Fontenot 6'1" | 165 lbs | WR Opelousas | 2025 State LA (6-1, 165) among other headliners. Prep Redzone Louisiana hasn’t had a chance yet to see this Opelousas group in person and hasn’t seen as much footage of Hammond or Fontenot as Ford and Amos. But Hammond, a long, lean and speedy corner is on the heels of an all-district and all-parish sophomore season in an area enjoying a strong run of talent and has started to hit the recruiting trail with Mississippi State and LSU trips.
Darryus McKinley Darryus McKinley 6'3" | 225 lbs | DL Acadiana | 2026 State LA — 6-3, 225 DL — Acadiana (2026)
Big brother Dominick McKinley Dominick McKinley 6'5" | 275 lbs | DL Acadiana | 2024 State LA has exploded on the recruiting trail into one of the definitive top prospects in the 2024 class, and Darryus has enjoyed his own rapidly growing offer list that suggests he likely warrants similar status for the 2026 cycle. This week will mark Prep Redzone Louisiana’s first real look.
Dylan Singleton Dylan Singleton 6'4" | 280 lbs | DL Loreauville | 2025 State LA — 6-4, 280 DL — Loreauville (2025)
The couple minutes of combined freshman and sophomore film on the big defensive lineman piqued our interest in a similar fashion to early film on eventual Neville star and LSU signee Zalance “Lance” Heard when he was a young defensive lineman at Bastrop. Getting a better look in person at where Singleton is physically and his movement and explosiveness for his size will help provide a far clearer sense of where he belongs in the next rankings update.
Diesel Solari Diesel Solari 5'7" | 175 lbs | ATH Cecilia | 2025 State LA — 5-6, 160 ATH — Cecilia (2025)
The Bulldogs’ versatile and explosive athlete has been a Prep Redzone Louisiana favorite in his class from early on and consistently showed why before being sidelined early this fall. Solari has been working back from his injury, and getting a chance to see him back on the field will be a welcomed sight on a variety of levels.