Catholic (Baton Rouge) Bears | Spring 3-2-1 Spotlight

A third coach in four years taking the helm at Catholic (Baton Rouge) hasn't seemed to flip the program's traditional script of being a model of consistency — at, in the past decade, a level of annual title contention.   Hudson Fuller, a Baton Rouge native and former Bears assistant, returns to the program fresh off having led West Feliciana to a state semifinal appearance.   And coaches and players have said the consistency of the staff overall and familiarity with Fuller and returning defensive coordinator Quitman "Deuce" Harrison have made for a notably smooth "transition" this spring.   Catholic was among the first stops of Prep Redzone Louisiana's spring practice tours and a series of "Spring 3-2-1" spotlights looking at three key returning standouts, two notable breakout candidates and one underclassman to know sooner than later.   <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/fIhWKAn6jV0 </div></figure>     3 WELL-KNOWN RETURNERS   [player_tooltip player_id='139258' first='Daniel' last='Beale'] — 6-2, 190 QB — Catholic (BR) (2024)   Time has flown, and "Baby Beale" is now a rising senior and the most highly regarded quarterback prospect in Louisiana's 2024 class. The Bears' passer showed remarkable poise and decision-making on big stages at a young age and has continued to develop both his frame and his game, in which he has looked increasingly more comfortable on the move, extended plays and controlling more of the game. His recent string of offers includes Houston, Memphis, Tulane, Louisiana (Lafayette), Louisiana Tech, ULM, Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls State and North Texas. This fall he'll work behind a line headlined by 2025 tackle [player_tooltip player_id='546455' first='Erv' last='Smith'].   <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/jRA19xaLU70 </div></figure>     Bradley Wright — 5-10, 170 WR — Catholic (BR) (2024)   The rising senior had a breakout campaign this past fall as a speedy and versatile complement to 2023 LSU signee [player_tooltip player_id='138438' first='Shelton' last='Sampson'] Jr. and McLennan Community College baseball signee [player_tooltip player_id='138449' first='Daniel' last='Harden'] that the Bears could line up all over their offensive formations as well as utilize as a weapon in the return game. Wright, a multisport athlete with sprinting and long-jumping backgrounds, lists 4.41-second 40-yard speed that shows as a vertical threat and the quickness to make defenders miss and turn short passes into long gains. He recently picked up a Southeastern Louisiana offer.   Blair Rousseau — 5-10, 240 DL — Catholic (BR) (2024)   Rousseau was a consistent playmaker this fall for a defensive front that will now have to replace Judd Rouyea (Louisiana Tech) and [player_tooltip player_id='138394' first='Joshua' last='Johnson'] (Nicholls State). The multisport standout, who also competes at a championship level for the Bears' perennial power wrestling program, plays with great quickness, leverage and motor to frustrate bigger opponents and make big plays at or behind the line with his strong, sure tackling that reliably ends any play on which he can get a hand on a ball-carrier.     2 BREAKOUT CANDIDATES   [player_tooltip player_id='710081' first='Jacob' last='Bradford'] — 6-1, 190 DB/WR — Catholic (BR) (2025)   The older of a pair of standout Bradford brothers, Jacob earned all-district recognition this fall as a sophomore defensive back playing alongside freshman Blaine, but remained somewhat under the recruiting radar until a recent offer from Marshall. Both players are expected to take on bigger roles this fall with Jacob working on offense as a fast and physical target alongside the aforementioned Wright and fellow 2025 prospects [player_tooltip player_id='291082' first='Amari' last='Clayton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='710770' first='Cohen' last='LeBlanc']. Blaine will meanwhile help headline a secondary that includes rising senior standouts [player_tooltip player_id='421643' first='Brooks' last='Wright'], [player_tooltip player_id='677672' first='Robert' last='Kasongo'] and Colin Coates and rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='740987' first='Cayden' last='Jones'].   <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/nTwTu4n4hYY </div></figure>     [player_tooltip player_id='401980' first='RJ' last='Fleming-Ricard'] — 6-3, 190 LB/DE — Catholic (BR) (2026)   The long, athletic edge rusher, also a member of the Bears' state championship basketball program was one of a couple standout freshmen this fall, along with the aforementioned [player_tooltip player_id='401737' first='Blaine' last='Bradford']. He showed some comfort working in space this fall and has continued to improve his all-around game and to get bigger and stronger this spring in a way that should position him for a major breakout the back half of this year both on the college camp circuit this summer and under the Friday night lights this fall.     1 UNDERCLASSMAN TO KNOW   [player_tooltip player_id='739720' first='Jayden' last='Miles'] — 6-1, 190 RB — Catholic (BR) (2027)   [player_tooltip player_id='401737' first='Blaine' last='Bradford'] and [player_tooltip player_id='401980' first='RJ' last='Fleming-Ricard'] are two anticipated Power-Five prospects already firmly on the Prep Redzone Louisiana radar and rankings by the end of freshman season and could have more than satisfied this category. But a rising freshman has also garnered some early buzz as another name to watch in the coming years. The Bears have a long-standing running back tradition that has now included at least a decade of coaches current standouts pointing — accurately — to the next star coming through eighth grade. The prolific duo of Khalil Thomas and Derrius Guice forecast Clyde Edwards-Helaire as being better than either of them before he even began high school, and 2024 standout [player_tooltip player_id='139472' first='Barry' last='Remo'] II drew comparisons to Edwards-Helaire prior to his own freshman year. Miles is the next up behind Remo and the 2025 duo of Ryland Parker and [player_tooltip player_id='912263' first='Jeremy' last='Fisher Jr.']   <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/L8aGoNjVw4w </div></figure>

A third coach in four years taking the helm at Catholic (Baton Rouge) hasn't seemed to flip the program's traditional script of being a model of consistency — at, in the past decade, a level of annual title contention.