A sample of Louisiana talent plying their trade in major college football

As usual, there is an abundance of talented major college football players who plied their trade on Louisiana soil in high school. Let’s list some to watch entering the 2018 season, knowing there are also true freshman and others who may also emerge this year.

Here is a sampling of Louisiana players to watch:

Oklahoma State

WR Jalen McCleskey (St. Paul’s) – The senior has 151 career grabs for 1,698 yards and 15 scores, including 645 receiving yards with six touchdowns last year.

WR Tyron Johnson (Warren Easton) – He played at LSU as freshman where he snared 9 passes for 150 yards. He tallied 18 catches for 293 yards and 3 touchdowns last season. He enters junior season.

CB Rodarius Williams (Calvary Baptist) – LSU star Greedy’s brother is a sophomore who enters ’18 as a starter. In ’17, he added 44 stops along with 10 PBUs.

LB Kevin Henry (Plaquemine) – Junior is a reserve.

Southern Miss

WR Jayshawn Washington (John Ehret) – Redshirt senior who had 85 catches for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns while adding 120 tackles on defense in high school. In 2017 as an H-Back, he had six grabs for 72 yards and touchdown for the Golden Eagles. He is the grandson of former Packers and Broncos DE Alden Roche.

Texas

DE Malcolm Roach (Madison Prep) — The junior has tallied 70 stops with five sacks last year for the ‘Horns.

DT Gerald Wilbon (Destrehan) – The 329-pound junior has made 21 games appearances for Burnt Orange.

DT D’Andre Christmas-Giles (St. Augustine) – An all state performer for the Purple Knights, he has seen limited action in Texas so far entering his junior campaign.

OLB/DE Michael Williams (Dunham) A ’18 signee, he was all-state last season at both quarterback and defensive end. He was the 21st best Louisiana prospect in ’18.

Houston

WR Jeremy Singleton (Brother Martin) – Ready to battle for snaps as a redshirt freshman in ’18.

Louisiana Tech

OT Willie Allen (John Curtis) – He started his college career at LSU, then transferred to JUCO. He is slated to be a starter at LT for the Bulldogs.

WR Teddy Veal (West Jeff) -The transfer from Tulane comes off a 33 catch, 582 yard, three touchdown season in ’17. Now a senior, he is also a dangerous kick returner.

Florida State

CB Kyle Meyers (Holy Cross) – The junior had 26 stops with three PBUs and one interception for the ‘Noles in ’17.

Texas A&M

RB Kendell Bussey (Newman) – The junior shares backfield duties with the Aggies. He has 251 yards and a touchdown last season.

CB DeShawn Capers-Smith (Warren Easton) – A senior nickel back who starred as a prep QB, he made six starts in ’17 with 29 tackles and two PBUs.

WR Clyde Criss (Warren Easton) – The sophomore had four catches for 52 yards in ’17.

CB Clifford Chatman (McDonogh 35) – He enters his sophomore season for A&M this fall.

Arkansas

QB Cole Kelly (St. Thomas More) – Likely to be the top Hog behind center this fall, the 6-foot-7, 270 pound sophomore had 1,038 passing yards with eight touchdowns with four interceptions in 2017.

DT Briston Guidry (Rummel) – A sophomore starter, he managed 21 tackles including 2.5 TFL in 2017.

MLB DeJon “Scooter” Harris (Ehret) – A junior who was the team’s leading tackler in ’17.

SS Santos Ramirez (Evangel) – A senior leader, he has 141 career tackles with three interceptions as three-year starter.

Oklahoma

OL Adrian Ealy (East Ascenison) – He served as a backup left guard as redshirt freshman last year.

OL Cody Ford (Pineville) – Already with two years as a starter at left tackle, the 343-pound junior has impressed in Norman.

DB Chase Sylvie (Calvary Baptist) – The junior had 15 tackles last season.

Kansas

OL Malik Clark (Warren Easton) – The 320-pound sophomore is a backup at guard.

WR Takulve Williams (St. Aug.) – A redshirt freshman looking for his first action at KU, he was a star return threat in high school.

DB Michael Lee (Landry-Walker) – He made 16 starts at safety in his first two seasons at Kansas and managed 70 tackles with a pair of interceptions in ’17.

Kansas State

DE Reggie Walker (Ponchatoula) – A junior set to be a three-year starter, he has 36 tackles, two sacks and four TFLs last season.

Arizona State

DT George Lea (Landry-Walker) – A junior who will look for snaps under new head coach Herman Edwards.

California

WR Brandon Singleton (Hahnville) – The junior had 14 catches for 141 yards last year.

New Mexico State

DT Myles Vigne (Warren Easton) A 6-foot-1 and 310 pounds, he is called “steam roller” in Las Cruces. Vigne made 27 stops in 2017.

Colorado State

QB Justice McCoy (St. Aug.) – Capable dual-threat is a redshirt freshman.

RB Darius May (McDonogh 35) -The sophomore had 66 yards rushing last fall.

Stanford

WR Jay Tyler (Newman) – The 5-8 junior was a quarterback for the Greenies.

Kent State

RB Will Matthews (Destrehan) – The junior had 198 yards and one score in ’17.

RB Myles Washington (John Curtis) (5-9-222 – Also a junior for the Flashes, he has 39 yards rushing so far at Kent State.

Notre Dame

WR Michael Young (Destrehan) – The sophomore played in 13 games as freshman with a big moment in the Citrus Bowl, a touchdown catch versus LSU.

DT Jerry Tillery (Evangel) – The senior tallied 56 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 4.5 TFLs in 2017.

Vanderbilt

WR Kalija Lipscomb (Jesuit) – The experienced junior made 37 catches for 610 yards and eight touchdowns with a 5.9 yard punt return average in ’17.

QB Deuce Wallace (Riverside) – A sophomore with some experience, he had 94 yards passing with a touchdown in ’17.

LB Kenny Hebert (Holy Cross) – The junior is in the mix for snaps at outside linebacker.

Mississippi State

CB Cameron Dantzler (St. Thomas Aquinas) – The sophomore had 25 stops, 2 TFLs, an interception and three PBUs last year.

LB Aaron Brule (Rummel) – A true freshman, he has a chance to crack the rotation.

QB Keytaon Thompson (Landry-Walker) – The sophomore had 388 yards passing, two touchdowns and two interceptions and added 491 yards rushing with six touchdowns after being thrust into action late last season.

Miami

DT Gerald Willis (Karr) – The junior is a Florida transfer looking to make a mark after a prolific prep career (289 tackles, 36 sacks, 62 TFLs).

Missouri

DT Caleb Sampson (Northlake Christian) – The 285 pounder is a redshirt freshman.

DE Chris Turner (Hammond) – The sophomore made 12 appearances in ’17 .

Georgia Tech

MLB Bruce Jordan-Swilling (Brother Martin) – The sophomore had 34 stops and two TFLs last year.

DB Christian Campbell (Ponchatoula) – The former prep QB now moves to defense as a sophomore.

CB Tre Swilling (Brother Martin) – The redshirt freshman is posied to be a starter in ’18.

UCF

DE Brendon Hayes (Brother Martin) – The junior is expected to start in 2018.

LB Nate Evans (John Curtis) Also a junior, he had 24 tackles last season.

Clemson

RB Travis Etienne (Jennings) – The Tigers’ leading rusher in ’17 as freshman had 781 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Troy

OL Kirk Kelley (Ehret) – The junior enters his third year as starter at left guard.

Memphis

WR DaMonte Coxie (East St. John) – the junior had 21 grabs for 323 yards and three touchdowns in ’17 but could see a lot more throws with the departure of top Tigers target Anthony Miller.

DB Josh Perry (Amite) – The one-time Alabama commit had 37 stops and one interception as freshman.

Nebraska

WR Stanley Morgan (St. Augustine) – A three-year starter for the ‘Huskers who was All Big Ten last season, he is coming off a school record 986 yards receiving, breaking the mark of Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers (942). Morgan has 119 career catches for 1,743 yards and 15 touchdowns.

LB Pernell Jefferson (Warren Easton) – The sophomore looks to step forward.

OLB Tyrin Ferguson (Karr) – The junior shows great promise on the perimeter.

Washington State

OLB/SS Hunter Dale (John Curtis) – He made 13 starts in ’17, producing 46 tackles, three sacks and five TFLs. Thres three-year starter for the Cougars was a superb baseball player at Curtis.

Florida

DB Brad Stewart (McDonogh 35) – The sophomore starting free safety had 13 tackles with an interception in ’17.

TCU

Kavontae Turpin (Neville) The 5-9 senior was a freshman All American who is coming off a 41-catch junior campaign with 394 yards and a touchdown. He has 30.6 yard KR average and a 16.3 yard punt return average that includes a pair of 90-plus yard returns on punts.

LB Garrett Wallow (John Curtis) – He enters his sophomore season in Fort Worth.