Bootleggers 7v7 Baton Rouge tryout/preseason eye-catchers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the spring nonscholastic/travel 7-on-7 season approaches, Prep Redzone Louisiana will preview some of the state's student-athletes to watch this spring with a series of tryout eye-catchers and names to know for the coming months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Next up: Ten talented players who stood out during the Louisiana Bootleggers' tryout events for the Baton Rouge area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bootleggers are the state's — and one of the country's —&nbsp;longest-tenured organization of its kind, going back 15 years, and feature a handful of regional/metro teams that filter up to the statewide "national" team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(<em>Note: The scout/writer accepted a position this winter coordinating the roster selection of this organization's national teams.</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>————————— <strong>18U</strong> —————————</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='291089' first='Jackson' last='Bradley'] — 6-3, 205 QB — Oak Grove (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state championship quarterback and Louisiana Tech commit made the long trip south to work with coach Marcus Randall, a former LSU quarterback, as he had in previous springs. And though his Oak Grove offense allows him more opportunities to showcase his big-play ability with his legs than his arm, Bradley had a great day making strong, accurate and consistent throws all over the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913904' first='Brent' last='Gordon Jr.'] — 5-11, 175 DB — Cecilia (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just two weeks after helping lead his Bulldogs to their first state championship game since 1995, the all-state standout made the short trip to Baton Rouge after missing the Lafayette area tryout the week prior. Gordon excelled this fall as a playmaking safety flying around the field for hard-hitting tackles and forced turnovers and did so at tryouts as a lockdown corner who may quietly have the potential among Louisiana's top rising seniors at that role as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1250299' first='Alonzo' last='Luckett'] — 5-11, 175 ATH — Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) (2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The physical, thickly built athlete is one of a few Panthers' teammates who stood out at tryouts and figure to be key pieces of the Baton Rouge region's 18U group, along with [player_tooltip player_id='710972' first='Cayden' last='Randall'], Jay'cob Jolla, [player_tooltip player_id='740986' first='Aprilleo' last='Sterling'] and others. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='283986' first='Richard' last='Montgomery Jr.'] — 6-0, 175 DB/WR — Dunham (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers' promising young athlete earned an early Prep Redzone Louisiana ranking as a defensive back prior to his sophomore year and was arguably the top 18U receiver at the Baton Rouge tryout event as he constantly created enough space to make plays and caught everything thrown his way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='734867' first='Emile' last='Picarella'] — 6-2, 200 QB — University Lab (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another of the state's top rising senior quarterbacks, Picarella showed excellent command, standing tall and delivering strong, well-placed throws to every level of the field. This season, his first in Louisiana, was one of competition and adjustment that nearly reached the state championship game with the transfer from Mississippi showing some flashes of his potential as arguably the state's top 2024 prospect at the position. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>————————— 15U and 14U —————————</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1372203' first='Ladarius' last='Dunn'] Jr. — 5-10, 145 WR — Northwestern Middle (2028)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The smooth-running receiver was among a handful or so of Zachary Elite teammates who had strong showings as they transitioned from the tackle field to 7-on-7 tryouts. Dunn is an increasingly clean route-runner and confident pass-catcher, even playing up against older competition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Delwin Perkins Jr. — 5-10, 150 DB/WR — McComb (Mississippi) (2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The freshman, an Amite native now at McComb High School in Mississippi, was among the top cornerbacks of any age at any of the Bootleggers' tryout events around the state. "DeJay" played well as a receiver as well, but particularly shone with his impressive, physical play on defense as he repeatedly overpowered opponents with his press coverage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1250283' first='Trikoby' last='Rheams'] — 5-8, 155 WR — Zachary (2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rheams was one of the most explosive athletes on hand for the event, an intriguing multisport and two-way standout among the best young players to watch in the Capital City Area. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1250286' first='Braylen' last='Taylor'] — 5-9, 150 WR — Amite (2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The taller of a pair of speedy Amite receivers — along with friend [player_tooltip player_id='1250312' first='Lionell' last='Perkins'] III — who flashed their track speed running by, around and away from opposing defensive backs, Taylor was both a consistent and big-play threat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1372201' first='Jamon' last='Wesley'] — 5-9, 145 QB — Northwestern Middle (2028)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dunn's primary triggerman was another standout quarterback option for the Baton Rouge region, playing with an impressive poise and accuracy for his age that has the future looking bright for an already-strong Zachary lineage at the position. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->