LAFAYETTE (PRESS RELEASE) – In what is arguably one of the best recruiting classes ever assembled in the 118-year history of Louisiana Football, head coach Billy Napier announced that 19 student-athletes have signed to play for the Ragin’ Cajuns for the upcoming 2019 season.
Louisiana boasts the top-ranked class in the Sun Belt Conference and 65th-best class nationally, according to 247Sports, and the second-best class in the state of Louisiana. Among fellow Group of Five programs, the class is ranked eighth.
The 2019 signing class, as it currently stands, is comprised of student-athletes from five different states, with 13 coming from their home state of Louisiana. Seven position spots are represented in the class, with an emphasis on both lines (8) and the defensive backfield (3).
Napier and his staff anticipate additional signees to the class on Feb. 6.
Below is a breakdown of the exciting signing class as the NLIs were submitted:
7:01 A.M.
Jax Harrington | OL | 6’3.5 | 305 | Erath, Louisiana | Erath H.S.
A top offensive line prospect from the state of Louisiana, Harrington will add quality depth to the Ragin’ Cajuns’ front five…The 84th rated prospect out of the state in the class…A three-time All-District player…He was a high school teammate of current Louisiana running back, Elijah Mitchell…Threw shot put in high school…Had offers to play at multiple programs, including Baylor, Kansas, Louisiana Tech, ULM and Tulane.
Jaden Henderson | S | 5’11.5 | 193 | New Orleans, Louisiana | McDonogh 35
Helped his team to the state playoffs before falling in the first round…Composite three-star according to 247Sports…Ranked the 55th-best player in the state…Considered offers from Indiana, ULM, Louisiana Tech, Troy, Toledo, Texas State, and South Alabama.
Nathan Thomas | OL | 6’4.75 | 258 | Chalmette, Louisiana | Chalmette H.S.
The third offensive lineman in the 2019 winter class…During his junior season, the tackle assisted an offense that scored 368 points and produced 2,381 yards on the ground…Helped his team post a 6-4 record and make it to the 5A state playoffs…He also held offers from Grambling, McNeese and Northwestern State.
Tyler Guidry | OLB | 6’1.75 | 222 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Southern University Lab School
The second-highest rated player of the class according to the 247Sports Composite, where he is rated a three-star recruit…80th ranked outside linebacker in the country according to 247Sports…Helped his team to a 12-2 overall record, including a 5-0 record in district play…Was dominant his senior season with 68 tackles, 12 sacks and a pick six…Held offers from multiple FBS programs, including South Alabama, SMU, WKU, South Alabama, ULM, Southern Miss, Rice, Tulane and Arkansas State.
Peter LeBlanc | WR | 6’2.25 | 182 | New Iberia, Louisiana | Catholic-New Iberia H.S.
Versatile three-sport athlete out of New Iberia…The 50th-best prospect out of Louisiana and a top-150 player in his position as ranked by 247Sports…Finished his career as a two-time First Team All-District receiver…As a senior, carried the ball 44 times for 668 yards and nine touchdowns, while hauling in 22 receptions for 617 yards and eight scores…Caught 36 passes for 793 yards and 10 touchdowns during his junior season en route to earning All-Acadiana Second Team honors…Helped his team to its first state title that season…Served as his high school’s punter…He was also offered by Louisiana Tech.
O’Cyrus Torrence | OL | 6’5 | 313 | Greensburg, Louisiana | St. Helena Central H.S.
The biggest of Louisiana’s offensive line signees at 325 pounds…Ranked No. 69 at his position in the state of Louisiana and 158th nationally…Claimed First Team All-State 2A honors during his junior season…Paved the way for an offense that led the team to an 8-2 regular season record and a trip to the 2A state quarterfinals…He was a two-time First Team All-District honoree…Held offers from Georgia, Louisiana Tech, ULM, South Alabama and Middle Tennessee.
Kendall Wilkerson | DE | 6’4.25 | 275 | Kentwood, Louisiana | Kentwood H.S.
A top prep in-state standout who joins the class at the 35th-best player in the state and the 69th-best defensive end in the nation…He was a member of a Kentwood squad that won two state titles…As a senior, recorded 95 tackles, 10 sacks and eight TFL in 14 games played…He was an All-State performer as a junior…Also had offers from Wisconsin, Kansas, UCF, Southeastern Louisiana and Tulane.
7:02 A.M.
Dalvin Hutchinson | DT | 6’0.5 | 317 | West Monroe, Louisiana | West Monroe H.S.
An All-State performer at the 5A level as a junior who finished that season with 57 tackles and eight TFL…Helped his team to a top seed in the playoffs…Led a defense that posted four shutouts in four playoff games…During his senior season, he recorded 67 tackles, eight TFL, four sacks and recovered a fumble…A three-star recruit according to 247Sports…Ranked the 65th-best prospect in Louisiana and the 96th-best tackle in the country…Held offers from SMU, ULM, Memphis and New Mexico State.
Quintlan Cobb | DT | 6’4.5 | 314 | Kaplan, Louisiana | Kaplan H.S.
Will play defensive line for the Ragin’ Cajuns, but made appearances at tight end and running back for Kaplan…Helped his team get to the Class 3A semifinals during his senior season…Held offers from Houston and Tulane, among others.
7:05 A.M.
Brandon Legendre | WR | 5’9 | 181 | Thibodaux, Louisiana | E.D. White Catholic H.S.
One of the most sought after recruits in the class, fielding offers from programs such as Notre Dame, West Virginia, TCU and Kentucky, Arizona State, Vanderbilt and Utah…Ranked the No. 29 recruit in the state of Louisiana and the 63rd-best athlete nationally by 247Sports, where he is also listed as a three-star recruit…Played multiple positions in high school, including quarterback and kick returner…He ran for over 1,000 yards in both his junior and senior seasons…He was a LSWA Class 4A All-State First Team selection and the Offensive MVP on The Courier/Daily Comet’s All-Region football team as a junior…Accounted for 27 touchdowns as a junior while playing quarterback, while adding an additional four scores on kick returns…Over the last two season, he has accounted for 66 touchdowns.
Amir McDaniel | CB | 5’8.75 | 167 | Pensacola, Florida | West Florida Tech
Had an impressive junior season with West Florida, leading his team to the state semifinals for the first time in program history…He finished the season with seven interceptions and 68 tackles…His efforts earned him 5A First Team All-State recognition…The 297th rated player out of Florida…He also received offers from Troy, South Alabama, Georgia Southern, Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee.
7:06 A.M.
Neal Johnson | TE | 6’3.5 | 223 | Mesquite, Texas | West Mesquite H.S.
Expected to play tight end for the Ragin’ Cajuns after playing quarterback during his senior year of high school…As a senior, threw for over 1,600 yards and accounted for 18 touchdowns…Over the course of his sophomore and junior seasons, he hauled in 16 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns…Ranked 90th among tight ends in the class nationally…Had offers from ULM, Georgia State, WKU, Wyoming and Tulane.
7:08 A.M.
Brian Smith | WR | 6’3.5 | 201 | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Glendale C.C. | Barbe H.S.
A talented wide receiver returning to Louisiana from the junior college ranks…Ranked a three-star JUCO commit by 247Sports…The No. 20 ranked wide receiver out of Louisiana…He was a two-time First Team All-Conference performer…As a sophomore, he completed 33 passes for 485 yards and five touchdowns…During his freshman season in Glendale, he hauled in 21 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns.
7:30 A.M.
Bobby Holmes | CB | 5’9.75 | 165 | Dallas, Texas | South Oak Cliff H.S.
A highly regarded cornerback from the state of Texas…In his three-year varsity career at South Oak Cliff, he compiled 159 total tackles and six TFL…Finished his career with two picks and two fumble recoveries…Earned First Team All-District honors as a junior…The 132nd-rated cornerback prospect in the nation…Received offers from Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, North Texas, Utah State and WKU.
7:40 A.M.
Clifton McDowell | QB | 6’2.5 | 200 | Spring, Texas | Spring H.S
A highly regarded dual threat quarterback out of high school…Rated the 34th-best dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 class…247Sports three-star recruit…Accounted for 37 touchdowns during his senior season, passing for 1,820 yards and 18 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,330 yards and 19 touchdowns…He was named the 16-6A District MVP after his stellar senior year…Totaled 31 touchdowns (19 passing, 12 rushing) and 2,160 yards (1,310 passing, 850 rushing) as a junior en route to First Team All-District honors…Received offers from ULM, Texas Southern, Texas State and Georgetown.
9:03 A.M.
Shomari Hayes | DT | 6’1.75 | 294 | Phoenix, Arizona | Mountain Pointe H.S.
A highly decorated defensive tackle out of Arizona…Ranked No. 72 prospect by 247Sports for defensive tackles in the state of Arizona…Selected to play in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl…Team USA National Team/National Bowl invitee as a junior and senior…In three seasons as a varsity player at Mountain Pointe, recorded 192 tackles and 16 TFL…Finished his career with 10 sacks, with 6.5 coming during his senior season…He was named First Team All-Region and All-Conference as a junior and senior…He also garnered Phoenix and Tempe All-City recognitions in his final two seasons…A State Farm All-Region honoree…He was named team MVP his senior season…Also competed in track and field, throwing shot put…He was also offered by UNLV.
9:15 A.M.
Kalem Reddix | WR | 6’0 | 215 | Biloxi, Miss. | East Mississippi CC | St. Martin H.S.
A talented junior college wide receiver from a successful program at East Mississippi CC…Member of the undefeated (12-0) NJCAA National Title and MACJC State Title squad in 2018…Earned 2018 MACJC All-State/North Division Second Team honors after totaling 51 receptions for 436 yards and three touchdowns on the season… Former three-star prospect out of St. Martin High School in Ocean Springs, Mississippi…As a senior in high school, he was a MAC Class 6A All-State First Team member, a Bernard Blackwell South Team All-Star and Best of #MSPreps All-State First Team selection…Caught 91 passes for 1,774 yards (19.5 yds/rec) and 20 touchdowns during his senior season…He was also offered by Colorado State, Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee, Troy, Tulane and UAB.
9:23 A.M.
Logan Newell | OL | 6’4.5 | 281 | Monroe, Louisiana | Neville H.S.
Another strong in-state offensive line target, he is the second offensive line commit in the 2019 class…Recruited by former Neville lineman and current Louisiana offensive coordinator Rob Sale…The No. 51 rated offensive tackle in Louisiana and 103rd nationally…Received offers from ULM, Texas State, McNeese, Nicholls State, Northwestern State and Southern.
10:15 A.M.
Chandler Fields | QB | 5’11 | 185 | Metairie, Louisiana | Archbishop Rummel H.S.
One of the top quarterback prospects in the state of Louisiana…The 47th ranked player in Louisiana and the No. 31 pro-style QB in the nation…247Sports Composite three-star recruit…Helped his team to a 9-3 record as a senior…As a junior, he completed 179 passes for 2,359 yards and 30 touchdowns …Had offers from Memphis, Nicholls State and Jackson State.
