5 New Orleans area players PRZLA hopes to catch as spring opens

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone Louisiana has already started making some rounds, but won't be able to catch everyone. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And a series will begin next week 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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='285653' first='Darrius' last='Davis'] — 5-11, 180 DB — Archbishop Rummel (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This time a year ago, 2023 Raiders defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='188943' first='Ashton' last='Stamps'] had only just started to see his recruitment gain some traction before ultimately landing an LSU offer and committing over the summer. Davis has felt somewhat similarly under-the-radar with Marshall and Nicholls State offers in January becoming his first, but Stanford, Southeastern Louisiana, Southeast Missouri State and Mississippi Valley State all continuing that momentum.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='426960' first='TaRon' last='Francis'] — 6-1, 190 WR — Edna Karr (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not much footage has been available on the rising junior, but the limited clips have been intriguing enough to garner a top-10 ranking and several Power-Five offers. This spring period and summer 7-on-7 and college camps should provide a deeper picture of where Francis is entering the fall. "ManChild" is one of a several Cougars who could've been included on this list, including 2025 classmate [player_tooltip player_id='710991' first='Richard' last='Anderson'] on the defensive line or rising seniors [player_tooltip player_id='421613' first='Tah'j' last='Butler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='421614' first='Rahji' last='Dennis'], to name a few.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='678290' first='Jayden' last='Scott'] — 6-4, 240 DL — Archbishop Shaw (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scott — like a few of his fellow rising senior Eagles — entered the new year as an intriguing under-the-radar prospect whose junior film suggested a recruiting boom ahead. Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Louisiana (Lafayette), Tulane and Southern Miss have all offered during the past couple months, but that handful may only be the tip of the iceberg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='212341' first='Jahkeem' last='Stewart'] — 6-5, 295 DL — St. Augustine (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Purple Knights are loaded, and the talented roster could have had its own list of one or two dozen players to check out this spring. But Stewart is already a headliner as a freshman not only for St. Augustine, but on statewide and national levels. And, as he prepares for his sophomore season, Stewart has shared his hunger and excitement to get his crack at varsity competition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='421518' first='Koby' last='Young'] — 6-1, 180 WR — Holy Cross (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Louisiana's rising senior class hasn't looked like one of its strongest receiver cycles, but the Tigers have a pair of intriguing pass-catchers with high-level track speed in Young and teammate [player_tooltip player_id='421521' first='Krosse' last='Johnson'], each of whom holds multiple Power-Five offers. The bigger Young has risen to the forefront as Prep Redzone Louisiana's highest ranked prospect at the position and a high-priority target for home-state LSU and others. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->