Southern Lab Kittens | Offseason 3-2-1 Spotlight

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southern Lab is fresh off its second state championship in three years, and coach Darrell Asberry wasn't shy wrapping up the season that he expects his program to keep competing at that level on an annual basis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Kittens will have to replace several notable senior leaders from the latest title run, but return a slew of talented players capable of making another.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southern Lab is among the first stops of Prep Redzone Louisiana's series of "Offseason 3-2-1" spotlights looking at three key returning standouts, two notable breakout candidates and one underclassman to know sooner than later.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3 WELL-KNOWN RETURNERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1221036' first='Armariyan' last='Asberry'] — 5-11, 205 RB — Southern Lab (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Outstanding Performer of the title game is back as the bell-cow of a Kittens offense that will be transitioning and working through some notable turnover that includes the graduation of a veteran leader at quarterback and the transfer of his primary complement in the running back rotation. Asberry carried 175 times for 1,278 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior and should be a steady presence in his final high school season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='401952' first='Denim' last='Hunt'] — 5-8, 135 WR/DB — Southern Lab (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The speedy multisport standout, an all-state football performer and 400-meter outdoor champion, is one of the state's more dynamic playmakers and showed on the biggest stage in the Caesar's Superdome his ability as a three-phase difference-maker. Hunt finished his sophomore season with 48 catches for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns on offense, while also snatching four interceptions in the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1237618' first='Chad' last='Jones Jr.'] — 6-0, 220 LB — Southern Lab (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As far as well-known names, Jones' is tough to beat for the Kittens. And the son of former Southern Lab and LSU star Chad Jones has played with the passion and hard-hitting physicality to carry on the family tradition well. The younger Jones was a disruptive force in the box on the title run, including several highlights in the title game, and will be among the most talented and experienced returning standouts on the defense this fall as a junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2 BREAKOUT CANDIDATES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='920698' first='Jerry' last='Bottley IV'] — 6-2, 175 QB — Southern Lab (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The rising junior is the heir-apparent to the keys to the offense and has shown some intriguing flashes in the reps he's gotten thus far. Bottley has a tall frame, a strong arm to make throws all over the field and impressive athleticism to make plays with his legs with listed 4.6-second 40-yard speed and a willingness to play through — or even lower his shoulder and inflict — contact for tough yardage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Trevoris Norman Jr. — 5-6, 165 RB/DB/LN — Southern Lab (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"P.J." was a notable three-phase contributor as a junior on this past fall's championship run, who stood out most as a versatile linebacker with some good explosiveness crashing down in run support or rushing opposing passers. Norman should see more carries on the other side of the ball with that burst providing a nice complement to his fellow senior Asberry.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1 UNDERCLASSMAN TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1356153' first='Gerald' last='Seaton Jr.'] — 5-7, 145 DB — Southern Lab (2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1372197' first='Alex' last='Williams'] — 5-7, 145 DB — Southern Lab (2028)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Kittens are still getting a sense this offseason of which underclassmen might be ready to step into bigger roles this fall, but a couple of young cornerbacks are worth keeping an eye on among the likeliest to potentially break through. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->