8 Louisiana WRs whose recruitments should 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 wide receivers 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='1356168' first='Ja'ir' last='Burks'] — 5-10, 160 WR — Jesuit   Verified speed is a major component of the offseason recruiting process, and the Blue Jays' two-sport standout has enough of that to spare. In fact, Burks has burn torching elite enough marks in his hurdles — including a national-best 7.88-second 60-meter time at indoor state championships — that the question may become whether track opportunities take the driver's seat. But he's also a talented, field-stretching receiver with the quickness and ball skills on top of his track speed and flexibility showcased in his spring events.   Gary Burney Jr. — 6-4, 185 WR — Parkway   Arkansas State and Grambling State extended offers to Burney last summer, and though he's had to show some patience for that process to hit its next wave, he's only continued to bolster his stock as a future college receiver with 76 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns — an average of 16.7 yards per catch and a score every 5.1 touches — and verified measurables at last month's Louisiana vs. All Y'all Elite Camp, including not only his next-level frame, but also a 9-foot-6-inch broad jump that showcased his explosiveness.   [player_tooltip player_id='1612641' first='Markez' last='Davis'] — 6-2, 160 WR — Northwest   Another notable multisport standout, the long, springy athlete just wrapped up a long basketball season this weekend as one of the leading scorers on his Raiders' first state-tournament team in 22 years. Now he'll have the opportunity to turn some more attention to 7-on-7 and camp settings where he can put his potential on display in front of more recruiting writers and eventually college coaches. Davis has the size, athleticism and ball skills to be dangerous attacking the ball in the air, and his junior film includes multiple highlights stretching the field vertically.   [player_tooltip player_id='934589' first='Collin' last='DiBetta'] — 5-10, 175 WR/ATH — Acadiana   One of Prep Redzone Louisiana's highest-ranked wide receivers from early in the development of the state's 2027 class, DiBetta picked up an early offer more than two years ago from Ole Miss, but has had to be patient since then, waiting for Nicholls State as No. 2 this past October and now looking for No. 3. He had a huge junior season showcasing his potential all over the field — including in both offensive and defensive backfields and in the return game — and, after being banged up some last offseason, has reportedly been hitting notable times in his offseason speed work that he'll have opportunities to showcase in the months ahead.   [player_tooltip player_id='1851150' first='Lucas' last='Jefferson'] — 5-10, 160 WR — St. Augustine   The Purple Knights' loaded 2027 wide receiver class has long been headlined by a dynamic duo with staggering lists of Power-Four offers, but the depth of the group looks as though it could be starting to show this offseason. Nicholls State extended the first offer for Derrick Bennett Jr. in December right on the heels of a game-winning touchdown in the Division-I Select semifinals, and both Bennett and Jefferson ran 4.6-second laser-timed 40-yard dashes at last month's Louisiana vs. All Y'all Elite Camp with universal speed ratings over 20 miles per hour and put together strong performances overall in one-on-ones.   [player_tooltip player_id='2109509' first='Ethan' last='Johnson'] — 5-10, 180 WR — Haughton   The Buccaneers had a rough season overall and missed the postseason, but not for lack of a prolific junior campaign by their star pass-catcher. Johnson paced the state during the regular season with eye-popping totals of 102 receptions, 1,477 yards and 11 touchdowns — shattering several of the program's previous single-game and single-season marks. He should have the opportunity this spring and summer to have a few more eyes on him and show college coaches the potential he has to pair with that production.   [player_tooltip player_id='1782761' first='Garen' last='Lewis'] — 5-11, 165 WR — De La Salle   Like Burks, Lewis is a talented New Orleans wide receiver who made the most of opportunities this winter to kick off the offseason with solid showcases of verified speed during indoor track season. Lewis put together a junior highlight reel with a well-rounded mix of explosive touchdown plays on both field-stretching verticals and screen plays he was able to pop for huge runs after the catch, as well as some solid perimeter blocking for the typically run-heavy Cavaliers. He then followed that effort up with a track performance that included an 8.38-second 60-meter hurdle at state championships last month.   [player_tooltip player_id='1250280' first='Ryan' last='Moore Jr.'] — 5-10, 160 ATH — East Feliciana   Another of Prep Redzone Louisiana's longtime highly ranked prospects in the class, "Bug" had another impressive season in all three phases as a junior with more than 2,000 all-purpose yards and 21 total touchdowns — highlighted by his 56 receptions for 1,203 yards and 11 touchdowns — and 70 tackles and seven interceptions, including five pick-sixes, on defense. South Alabama has been a program of note in his recruitment of late, including hosting him for a visit this month.   [player_tooltip player_id='1356111' first='Emaude' last='Sledge'] — 6-1, 185 WR — Neville   Sledge earned an early Prep Redzone Louisiana ranking with some intriguing flashes as an underclassman and has only continued to look more the part as he's continued to develop physically, not listed two inches taller and 20 pounds stronger than at the time of his initial ranking. He was a productive member of his Tigers' receiving corps as a junior and figures to be more of a focal point this year with opportunities to showcase his work and potential to college coaches this spring and summer.

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.