D-II, D-III, NAIA programs land late Louisiana talent

The final days leading up to this week's traditional signing period featured a flurry of late commitments to further settle the class heading into Signing Day.   Prep Redzone Louisiana is continuing to monitor all the recruiting movement as the clock winds down on the 2024 cycle.   Here's a look at more than 50 new Division-II, Division-III and NAIA announcements and signings that caught our attention, led by in-state Centenary and Louisiana Christian and other familiar programs around the region such as Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas.     ———————————— LOUISIANA CHRISTIAN ————————————   [player_tooltip player_id='902067' first='Semaj' last='Jones'] — 5-9, 155 DB — Ruston —> Louisiana Christian   The Wildcats hit Division-I Non-Select champion Ruston for a standouts, including the small, but speedy Jones who stepped up with huge plays on the ball each time this season Prep Redzone Louisiana saw the Bearcats live.   LeMarionze Allen — 6-2, 170 DB — New Iberia —> Louisiana Christian   Garrett Brown — 6-3, 235 LB/TE — Glenbrook —> Louisiana Christian   Kristian Doyle — 5-9, 195 LB — Ouachita Parish —> Louisiana Christian   Eltrevious Griffin — 6-4, 250 OL — Beau Chene —> Louisiana Christian   Eric Griffin — 5-10, 180 RB — Wossman —> Louisiana Christian   Matthew Hixon — 6-3, 240 OL — West Monroe —> Louisiana Christian   Tre Jacquet — 6-2, 240 DL — Comeaux —> Louisiana Christian   Isaac Jungina — 5-11, 165 WR — Neville —> Louisiana Christian   [player_tooltip player_id='1202538' first='Logan' last='Malone'] — 5-9, 155 WR/DB — Ruston —> Louisiana Christian   Andre Mathews — 6-1, 220 LB — Jeanerette —> Louisiana Christian   [player_tooltip player_id='285203' first='Brandon' last='Patterson Jr.'] — 6-0, 290 DL — Parkway —> Louisiana Christian   Jamauri Walters — 6-0, 200 LB — Jeanerette —> Louisiana Christian   Jamar Woods — 5-9, 160 WR — Ruston —> Louisiana Christian   [player_tooltip player_id='429213' first='Preston' last='Worley'] — 6-3, 220 DL/LB — Crescent City Christian —> Louisiana Christian     ———————————— CENTENARY ————————————   [player_tooltip player_id='285202' first='Chaz' last='Whitaker'] — 5-9, 160 DB/RB — Calvary Baptist —> Centenary   The Cavaliers' versatile athlete first hit the Prep Redzone Louisiana rankings as an underclassman running back with good burst and receiving skills before transitioning to his role in a deep secondary among the strengths of this fall's state championship team. Whitaker joins multiple teammates also heading to hometown Centenary for the next level.   Joshary Allen — 6-0, 210 LB — White Castle —> Centenary   Chris Dade — 5-9, 150 DB — West Monroe —> Centenary   [player_tooltip player_id='1211995' first='Noah' last='Trepagnier'] — 6-2, 260 OL — Riverside Academy —> Centenary   [player_tooltip player_id='1203343' first='Xzander' last='Washington'] — 6-4, 240 DL/TE — Richwood —> Centenary   [player_tooltip player_id='677958' first='Collin' last='Watkins'] — 6-1, 215 LB — West Monroe —> Centenary   Tristen Wooten — 6-2, 160 QB/ATH — Wossman —> Centenary     ———————————— ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO ————————————   [player_tooltip player_id='1203348' first='Christian' last='Guillory'] — 6-4, 180 DB — St. Louis Catholic —> Arkansas-Monticello   The Saints' basketball standout caught Prep Redzone Louisiana's attention this summer during high school 7-on-7 action as a tall, long cornerback who could run. His size and athletic profile make him an intriguing under-the-radar prospect to watch as he hits more focused college coaching and strength and conditioning.   Jordan Davis — 6-3, 275 OL — St. Louis Catholic —> Arkansas-Monticello   Kalib Evans — 6-3, 280 DL — Sterlington —> Arkansas-Monticello   Micah Hart — 6-0, 205 RB/ATH — Franklinton —> Arkansas-Monticello   [player_tooltip player_id='1203353' first='Rashaad' last='Jackson'] —5-11, 205 LB — Thibodaux —> Arkansas- Monticello   [player_tooltip player_id='1203357' first='Cody' last='Loupe'] — 6-2, 235 TE — Brusly —> Arkansas-Monticello   [player_tooltip player_id='901582' first='Jalil' last='Matthews'] — 5-11, 185 DB/LB — Terrebonne —> Arkansas-Monticello   Jackson Moore — 6-1, 255 DL — Sterlington —> Arkansas-Monticello     ———————————— SOUTHERN ARKANSAS ————————————   [player_tooltip player_id='139494' first='Xavier' last='McGlothan'] — 5-9, 150 DB/ATH — North Webster —> Southern Arkansas   The highest ranked player on this list, "Tutt" was a quick, versatile athlete throughout his high school career for three seasons at Calvary Baptist and his senior campaign at North Webster — primarily as a defensive back and receiver, but also filling in some this fall at quarterback. McGlothan helps continue a pipeline from northwest Louisiana to the Muleriders program under head coach Brad Smiley, a former Tulane and Northwestern State assistant.   [player_tooltip player_id='804170' first='Drake' last='Griffin'] — 6-0, 220 LB — St. Mary's —> Southern Arkansas   Kameron Johnson — 6-3, 290 DL — Neville —> Southern Arkansas   [player_tooltip player_id='677674' first='Carter' last='Wells'] — 6-0, 175 DB — Parkway —> Southern Arkansas     ———————————— HARDING ————————————   [player_tooltip player_id='1203345' first='Antonio' last='Ford'] — 6-0, 190 RB — West Ouachita —> Harding   The Bisons have a long-standing pipeline of recruiting Louisiana — and particularly northwest Louisiana — including a handful of athletes from the state on this fall's Division-II national championship roster. The strong, breakaway back from West Ouachita became one of six Louisiana signees in this year's class — although this cohort more heavily featured the northwest region of the state — including previously covered commits such as Airline tight end Robert "Bob" Patterson and Huntington lineman Quan'Travious Bradford.   Mike Casey — 6-1, 220 ATH — Huntington —> Harding   B.T. McMillian — 6-1, 200 LB — North DeSoto —> Harding   Gavin Waters — 6-3, 305 OL — Ouachita Parish —> Harding     ———————————— TEXAS COLLEGE ————————————   Dwayne Brown — 5-10, 180 DB — East St. John —> Texas College   and Darryl Robertson — 5-10, 190 LB — East St. John —> Texas College   Longtime Louisiana and Texas high school and college coach Nathaniel Jones, an Edna Karr and ULM alumnus, joined the Texas College staff this past summer and looked back to his hometown and the surrounding areas for recruiting steals this winter. Brown and Robertson helped lead a Wildcats defense that recorded three shutouts during the team's 7-0 start, with Brown also helping bolster their speedy receiving corps.   Kyrie Gibson — 5-8, 175 WR — Livingston Collegiate —> Texas College   Legend Williams — 6-3, 270 OL — Edna Karr —> Texas College     ———————————— DELTA STATE ————————————   Jackson Fugate — 6-2, 215 LB — Northshore —> Delta State   and Jordan Fugate — 6-2, 215 LB — Northshore —> Delta State   The brothers were physical and versatile leaders on a stingy Panthers defense this season that allowed fewer than 15 points per contest all season long, including a historic 9-7 road upset of perennial power West Monroe in which Jackson blocked a late field goal to clinch the win.   Jadan Williamson — 6-1, 160 DB — John Ehret —> Delta State       ———————————— KENTUCKY STATE ————————————   T.J. Callahan — 6-0 DB — Episcopal (Baton Rouge) —> Kentucky State   and [player_tooltip player_id='902142' first='Chase' last='Square'] — 6-0, 210 LB — Southern Lab —> Kentucky State   Former Northeast High and Southeastern Louisiana standout, who also coached at several high school and college stops across Louisiana, tapped back into Baton Rouge for a couple defensive standouts in his first recruiting cycle at the helm in Frankfort, Ky. Callahan is a springy cornerback with more of a basketball background before starting to look more seriously as his potential football future during the past year. Square is a hard-hitting linebacker with a tremendous nose for the ball and high-impact plays that helped lead his Kittens' state-title run this fall.     ———————————— MILLSAPS ————————————   [player_tooltip player_id='901579' first='Cole' last='Canatella'] — 6-1, 185 QB — Holy Cross —> Millsaps   The senior quarterback was a consummate leader for a historic Tigers outfit in alumnus Scott Wattigny's first year at the helm. Canatella spread the ball around to an explosive cast of weapons and also showed the athleticism to hurt opponents with his legs when necessary on his way to consistent inclusion on Prep Redzone Louisiana's weekly top performers list.   Jason Johnson Jr. — 6-2, 200 DL — Delhi —> Millsaps     ———————————— ARKANSAS BAPTIST ————————————   Deandre Collins — 5-10, 280 OL — Wossman —> Arkansas Baptist   "Dre," along with aforementioned teammates who signed Wednesday with other colleges, was a notable standout on a resurgent Wossman team that notched benchmarks along the way that included its highest rankings since 2005. Collins was a shorter, but strong, physical and smart interior lineman whose coaches praised his leadership throughout the run.     ———————————— EAST TEXAS BAPTIST ————————————   Michael Collier — 6-2, 175 WR — Parkway —> East Texas Baptist   Parkway offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1204719' first='Dolan' last='Williams'] had announced his commitment to East Texas Baptist in mid-January, and Collier joined him in that college plan in the beginning of February to add a tall outside target to the Tigers' class.     ———————————— GRACELAND (IOWA) ————————————   [player_tooltip player_id='285684' first='Jeremiah' last='Clark'] — 5-10, 170 DB — John Ehret —> Graceland   Another of the highest-ranked prospects on this list, the nephew of former Archbishop Shaw, LSU and NFL safety Ryan Clark battled an adventure of a high school career of twists and turns that ranged from injury, coaching changes and school closure, but was among his teams' top corners at every stop — a quick, physical defensive back confident both outside and in the slot.

The final days leading up to this week's traditional signing period featured a flurry of late commitments to further settle the class heading into Signing Day.