8 Louisiana DBs whose recruitments could pick up this offseason

The NCAA's latest recruiting dead period has wrapped up, and prospects are beginning to make and schedule trips to college campuses the rest of the spring.   As Prep Redzone Louisiana has detailed in recent weeks, several prospects around the state have already started receiving new offers as the offseason ramps up.   And many more will be joining as programs will continue to adjust their recruiting boards, host prospects on campus and get verified measurements and athletic testing numbers through those visits, the camp circuits and outdoor track season.   Here's a look at eight defensive backs around the state whose recruitments haven't taken off just yet (at least in terms of many offers) or potentially have lulled some after earlier offers, but whom we expect to gain some traction in the months ahead.     [player_tooltip player_id='1812213' first='Andrew' last='Foster'] — 6-1, 170 DB — Ferriday   Ferriday has plenty of track record of producing talented, but more often than not relatively under-the-radar college recruits, such as wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='457340' first='Desmen' last='Jefferson'] and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1758130' first='Paityn' last='Collins'] signing with Southeastern Louisiana and McNeese State this winter. Wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1812209' first='Robert' last='Taylor'] recently picked up a Louisiana (Lafayette) offer, and Foster is another intriguing prospect for programs to check in on.   [player_tooltip player_id='406748' first='Franky' last='Frank Jr.'] — 5-11, 185 DB — Cecilia   A longtime Prep Redzone Louisiana favorite, Frank was on our earliest watch lists for the class and has continued to develop physically to check the boxes Division-I coaches are looking for, becoming a bigger, stronger tackler during the past couple years and continuing to particularly work on his speed this offseason. Frank is ramping up track season now with hometown Louisiana (Lafayette), Houston, Rice, Southeastern Louisiana and Harvard among schools in contact.   [player_tooltip player_id='1281163' first='Kaiden' last='Lucas'] — 6-1, 185 DB — Edna Karr   Lucas enjoyed an exciting early string of offers from Southern Miss, Auburn and Troy during spring practices last May, but has had to show some patience during the past 10 months as he worked behind one of the most — if not the most — talented senior classes in Louisiana high school history with 20-plus Cougars signing this year. But he's running track this spring, continuing to work on his verified speed times and should be among the eye-catchers of the next wave of athletes ready to tackle bigger roles this year as college coaches from around the country continue to prioritize Edna Karr as an annual stop each spring.   Landen Ortte — 6-2, 190 DB — St. Thomas More   Similar to Lucas, Ortte picked up a couple offers last May from Nicholls State and Incarnate Word before having to show some patience in the process for nearly 10 months. He was a rare sophomore starter for his Cougars in 2024 and a clear leader on the unit as a junior with fall with great anticipation, ball skills and physicality with 110 tackles, three forced fumbles, six pass breakups and an interception — and, in a game Prep Redzone Louisiana covered this fall, very nearly another circus interception tracking back, diving and stretching out over his shoulder. Northwestern State extended a more recent offer during the process of this article being written, and more colleges should continue to be intrigued by what Ortte can potentially bring to their programs.   [player_tooltip player_id='592357' first='Sky' last='Ryan'] — 6-0, 175 DB — Lafayette Christian   The younger brother of a pair of recent college college football players was among Louisiana's earliest and highest-ranked 2027 prospects on the recruiting radar, but has had his process slowed down some amid injuries, including missing most of his junior season this fall. But he's getting closer to being cleared to return to track action as he continues to build toward what could be a pivotal stretch for him as he hits the track and then college campuses in June.   [player_tooltip player_id='940554' first='Trenajh' last='Smith'] — 6-2, 170 DB — South Terrebonne   The long, lean and athletic cornerback and free safety has been a highly ranked Prep Redzone Louisiana favorite his entire career and has only seemed to continue backed that potential up with productivity on the field. Smith has earned LSWA Class 4A all-state honorable-mention selections the past two seasons with a combined 99 tackles, including 71 solo and three for loss, with eight interceptions, 12 pass breakups and six forced fumbles. Tulane, Louisiana (Lafayette), Arkansas State, UAB, South Alabama, Penn and Dartmouth have been among programs in communication.   [player_tooltip player_id='1782704' first='Kobe' last='Vital'] — 6-2, 175 DB/ATH — Abbeville   The versatile Abbeville athlete is another player on this list who may best check the measurables boxes that so critical for most college coaches. Vital is a quick, fluid athlete who played a lot of corner for his Wildcats this fall — among other roles — and doesn't shy away from contact whether moving into the box, crashing off the edge or attacking and wrapping up in space. He then moved right into basketball season as a key player with anticipation and length that keep him jumping passing lanes on the court just as on the field.   [player_tooltip player_id='1611413' first='Letravious' last='Williams'] — 5-8, 165 DB — Alexandria   Williams doesn't have prototypical size, but consistently plays faster and more physically than his raw measurables. He's gotten notably and visibly bigger and stronger the past couple of years and was a top playmaker and willing and effective tackler on a talented, veteran defense this fall in the state's best district. He's been at work early this offseason to maximize his top-end speed at upcoming camps. And whether in pads on fall Fridays or on the 7-on-7 and camp circuits, Williams seeks and embraces competition as much as or more than any of his peers.

The NCAA's latest recruiting dead period has wrapped up, and prospects are beginning to make and schedule trips to college campuses the rest of the spring.