D-II, D-III, NAIA programs land late Louisiana talent
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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…
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Continue ReadingThe 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 ————————————
Semaj Jones Semaj Jones 5'9" | 160 lbs | DB Ruston | 2024 State LA — 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
Logan Malone Logan Malone 5'9" | 165 lbs | ATH Ruston | 2024 State LA — 5-9, 155 WR/DB — Ruston —> Louisiana Christian
Andre Mathews — 6-1, 220 LB — Jeanerette —> Louisiana Christian
Brandon Patterson Jr. Brandon Patterson Jr. 6'0" | 290 lbs | DL Parkway | 2024 State LA — 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
Preston Worley Preston Worley 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Crescent City Christian | 2024 LA — 6-3, 220 DL/LB — Crescent City Christian —> Louisiana Christian
———————————— CENTENARY ————————————
Chaz Whitaker Chaz Whitaker 5'9" | 160 lbs | RB Calvary Baptist | 2024 State LA — 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
Noah Trepagnier Noah Trepagnier 6'2" | 260 lbs | OL Riverside Academy | 2024 State LA — 6-2, 260 OL — Riverside Academy —> Centenary
Xzander Washington Xzander Washington 6'4" | 240 lbs | DL Richwood | 2024 State LA — 6-4, 240 DL/TE — Richwood —> Centenary
Collin Watkins Collin Watkins 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB West Monroe | 2024 LA — 6-1, 215 LB — West Monroe —> Centenary
Tristen Wooten — 6-2, 160 QB/ATH — Wossman —> Centenary
———————————— ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO ————————————
Christian Guillory Christian Guillory 6'4" | 180 lbs | DB St. Louis Catholic | 2024 State LA — 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
Rashaad Jackson Rashaad Jackson 5'11" | 205 lbs | LB Thibodaux | 2024 State LA —5-11, 205 LB — Thibodaux —> Arkansas- Monticello
Cody Loupe Cody Loupe 6'2" | 235 lbs | TE Brusly | 2024 State LA — 6-2, 235 TE — Brusly —> Arkansas-Monticello
Jalil Matthews Jalil Matthews 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Terrebonne | 2024 State LA — 5-11, 185 DB/LB — Terrebonne —> Arkansas-Monticello
Jackson Moore — 6-1, 255 DL — Sterlington —> Arkansas-Monticello
———————————— SOUTHERN ARKANSAS ————————————
Xavier McGlothan Xavier McGlothan 5'9" | 150 lbs | ATH North Webster | 2024 State LA — 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.
Drake Griffin Drake Griffin 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB St. Mary's Natchitoches | 2024 LA — 6-0, 220 LB — St. Mary’s —> Southern Arkansas
Kameron Johnson — 6-3, 290 DL — Neville —> Southern Arkansas
Carter Wells Carter Wells 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Parkway | 2024 State LA — 6-0, 175 DB — Parkway —> Southern Arkansas
———————————— HARDING ————————————
Antonio Ford Antonio Ford 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB West Ouachita | 2024 State LA — 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 Chase Square Chase Square 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Southern Lab | 2024 State LA — 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 ————————————
Cole Canatella Cole Canatella 5'11" | 180 lbs | QB Holy Cross | 2024 LA — 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 Dolan Williams Dolan Williams 6'3" | 260 lbs | OL Parkway | 2024 State LA 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) ————————————
Jeremiah Clark Jeremiah Clark 5'10" | 170 lbs | DB Helen Cox | 2024 State LA — 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.