Recruiting Notebook: Tracking metro New Orleans Top 50 in 2022 class

Early signing arrives this week. Many recruits will put pen to paper to make the process final. Others will wait until February to consider all options.

Here is my final tabulation of the top metro New Orleans area prospects in the 2022 class. Some will sign this week.

1. ATH Jacoby Mathews (6-2, 193) Ponchatoula
5-star prospect reminds many of former Shaw and LSU star safety Ryan Clark. Can return punts, excellent tackler, great in space, instinctive. Coming down to an LSU. Texas A&M battle. Won’t be settled until February.

2. WR Shazz Preston (6-0, 190) St. James
4-star reminiscent of (LSU) Early Doucet. Tremendous catching radius. Gets 50/50 balls. LSU is favorite, Alabama, Ole Mississippi Mississippi State in the mix.

3. WR Aaron Anderson (5-9, 185) Karr
4.39 40-yard dash. Game changing skills as a WR or return specialist. Runs the 100, 200 meters plus the 4X 100 and 4X200 relays. Previously committed to LSU. Hearing he’s a solid lock for Alabama.

4. OLB Javae Gilmore (6-4, 200) Amite
Could play safety, covers lots of ground. Super athlete, outstanding baseball player. Mississippi State commit.

5. DT Tygee Hill (6-2, 285) Karr
Started as freshman for Karr Cougars. Leverage, strong hands. Reminds me of Gerald Willis. LSU commit.

6. WR Landon Ibieta (6-0, 185) Mandeville
Runs very well, 4.38 40-yard dash hand timed. Tremendous route runner, makes tough catch, good blocker. very strong and tough physically. Has 37 catches for 734 yards ( 19.8 yard average) 6 scores, 31 carries for 251 yards (8 yard per carry average) and 8 TD’s. Returned 3 punts for 51 yard average per return , taking two to the” House”. Has been committed to Miami. Visited LSU.

7. DT Shone Washington (6-3, 297) Warren Easton
Started as freshman at John Ehret. Powerful, fights through double team blocks. One-time pledge to LSU, now solid on with Georgia.

8. OT Bo Bordelon (6-5, 285) Newman
Great foot work, technique sound. Dad was All SEC at LSU (1996) and played for Chargers in NFL. LSU Commit.

9. WR Amorion Walker (6-4, 185) Ponchatoula
4.5 40-yard dash, 10.8 hundred meters, 38″ vertical. Triple jump, 200, 400 meters, good concentration, hands. His uncle Reggie Walker in NFL. 3.8 GPA. Currently committed to Notre Dame but considering Michigan.

10. CB Jhamal Shelby (6-2, 180) St. Aug
Long, athleticism, high IQ, closes quickly, press coverage. Louisiana Tech commit.

11-WR LeRoy Paige (6-4, 200) Martin Luther King Charter
Skilled enough to play DB. Makes tough catches, hard worker. Top four are Baylor, Fla. State, Mississippi State and Virginia.

12. LB Kailep Edwards (6-0, 221) West St. John
Will rock you as a physical hitter, always around ball. Louisiana (Lafayette) commit.

13. OT Cam East (6-7, 275) St. Aug
Good reach, pass protector, maneuvers opponent. Mississippi State pledge.

14. CB Ronald “Champ” Lewis (6-1, 170) Warren Easton
4.55 40-yard dash. eight interceptions in 2020. Good tackler in space, anticipation. Texas commit.

15. ATH Jaylin Lucas (5-9, 175) Karr
Explosive athlete, similar to Tyjae Spears (out of Ponchatoula and Tulane). A game changer. Previously committed to Tulane but decommitted Monday.

16. CB Tariq “Triii” Watson (5-10, 165) Helen Cox
4.4 40-yard dash, 21.4 in 200 meters, Superb reflexes, forces turnovers. Minnesota commit.

17. WR Zavion Thomas (5-11, 190) John Ehret
High points ball, climbs ladder, good blocker. 4.45 40-yard dash, 11.08 hundred meters. Committed to Mississippi State.

18. WR Darrell Demesme (6-1, 184) McMain
4.5 40-yard dash. Could be FS. comes back to ball, separation in route. Florida State, Memphis, Tennessee, South Florida and Kansas vying for his services.

19. DB Corey Lambert (6-1, 197) Brother Martin
4.58 40-yard dash, 3.8 GPA. Great character, a leader. Committed to Colorado State.

20. WR Kody Finley (6’4, 180) Ponchatoula
His brother T.J. Finley is QB at Auburn. Indiana, Kansas, Memphis, South Alabama, Memphis, Georgia State and Southern.

21. LG Jayson Montgomery-Scott (6-4, 310) Brother Martin
Road grater, drives opponents. Florida State, Southern Mississippi Air Force, Western Kentucky, Dartmouth, Colorado, New Mexico.

22. OG Malachi Preciado (6-2, 265) Warren Easton
Controls NT, Maintains balance, 2nd level blocks. Purdue commit.

23-DT Darrion Goodrich (6-1, 283) McMain
Good pad level, 500 lbs. squat, 5.0 40-yard dash, Tulane, ULL, South Alabama

24-OLB Tory Morgan (5-11, 215) Karr
4.8 40-yard dash 65 tackles, 12 TFL, leader on defense. Always around ball, good drops in coverage. 485 lbs. squat, 325 lbs. bench press. Memphis, SLU, Texas Southern, UTSA and Mississippi State in mix.

25-WR Leon “Cheetah” Elloie (5-8, 170) Warren Easton
10.33 hundred meters, 21.05 200 meters, HR threat, deep speed. ULM offer.

26. RB Daniel Jupiter (5-10, 184, 4.54) St. James
Good vision, extra effort, jump cuts, Air Force and Navy offers

27. RB/LB Braydon Johnson (6-1, 212) Ponchatoula
4.55 40-yard dash, very physical. Someone is going to get a steal, could be outstanding LB. Has been powerful runner, hardnosed. Had 75 yard touchdown against Ehret. Tulane, Nicholls, McNeese and SLU trying to secure him. Had 1,838 yards with nearly 9 yards per try.

28. CB Javon Stoudmire-Davis (6-1, 180) John Curtis Christian
District defensive MVP with 4 interceptions, taking two to the ” House” Can play safety or CB. Just moved to defense this season. Had been WR. Great upside. Good break on ball, good eyes, physical. PR specialist. McNeese commit.

29. WR Troy Kendrick (6-2, 170) Hahnville
4.47 40-yard dash, 425 lbs. squat. Colorado State, Nicholls, Southern.

30. LB Connor Orgeron (6-2, 220) John Curtis Christian
Sideline to sideline, physical tackler, great range, fills gaps. Brother is an OT at Tulane. Nicholls commit.

31. DE Joshua Martin (6-4, 265, 4.7) Bonnabel
400 lbs. squat. Seals edge, crashes down line, Could carry 300 lbs. quick reflexes. McNeese commit.

32. RT Sameij Scott (6-3, 280) Lutcher
Good feet, leads interference. Nicholls, ULM offers.

33. WR Austin Jackson (5-9, 175) Northshore
Good hands, body control, super effort, finds crease in secondary. La. Tech, North Texas, Southern Mississippi Nicholls, UTSA, Tulane, SLU monitoring.

34. PK Alec Mahler (5-10, 170) St. James
Strong leg, dead lifts 405 lbs. 42.8 yard punting average. Good baseball. Army and Southern with offers.

(tie) WR Damontrell “Scrappy” Osby (6-0, 180) Ponchatoula
4.5 40-yard dash, finds opening. Had 49 catches, six going for touchdowns. Hard worker. Nichols, Sun Belt offers.

35. DT Ryan Bernard (6-2, 265) Lakeshore
All-State, hot motor, Nicholls commit.

36. WR August Banks Jr. (5-11, 175) Karr
Smooth routes, runs away from pursuit, quick strike, Tulane offer.

37. LB Scott Isaacks (6-4, 238, 4.75) Country Day
Strong, 550 lbs. squat. Models style after Derrick Henry (Titans) as running back and Demario Davis (Saints) as linebacker. In basketball, he averages 12 points and 12 rebounds. Could be a tight end or an outside linebacker. Getting looks from Tulane, Rice and ULL.

38. WR Nick Howard (6-3, 175, 4.7) Archbishop Rummel
Body control, adjusts to throw. McNeese commit.

39. WR Brody Reina (6-0, 180) St. Paul’s
Good route runner. 4.27 GPA. Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Harvard, La. Tech.

40. DE Kells “Primetine ” Bush (6-3, 265) Karr
5 tech, power rusher, physical at point of attack, blows past blocker. State schools.

41. RB Aami Cargo (5-11, 180) John Ehret
North-south runner, breaks tackles. New Mexico offer.

42. CB Damaiyuran Compton (6-1, 170) St. Augustine
Challenges the run, good break on ball. ULM offer.

43. RB Jace Smith (5-8, 175, 4.56) Booker T. Washington
Elusive, Arkansas Tech offer.

44. ATH Buddy Taylor (5-11, 160, 4.5) John Curtis Christian
Projects as slot receiver, option quarterback or defensive back. Louisiana Christian College and Arkansas Monticello offers. Explosive speed, PG in basketball.

45. OG Treyeon Brumfield (6-1, 288) Amite
Good pad level, drives opponent. Kentucky watching.

46. DB Micheal Newton (5-9, 175) Shaw
Plays through pain, can play nickel, strong safety or outside linebacker. Cousin is Vikings star Justin Jefferson. Looks from Lamar, Tulane, La. Tech and Nicholls.

47. DT Durell “Tiger” Daigre (6-2, 318) East St. John
365 lbs. bench press. Tough to block, sheds blockers. Nicholls, South Alabama interest.

48. (tie) QB Garrett Mmahatt (6-2, 288) Brother Martin, 4.3 GPA
Four-year starter for Crusaders. More starts than any quarterback in school history. Good decisions, high IQ, tight throws, cool under pressure.

(tie) CB Josh Smallwood (6-0, 167) Shaw
Reaches full speed on second step, power cleans 260 lbs, state schools.

50. QB Jack Larriviere (6-2, 208, 4.8) Jesuit
Pro style, really came on, high release, keeps play alive outside of pocket, good runner, outstanding visibility. Winner.

(tie) ATH Arthur Oliver (5-10, 170) East Jefferson
Against Grace King accounted for eight touchdowns, seven passing, one running. was 19 pf 26 for 315 yards, completing 73%. Good basketball player. State schools watching.

(tie) DT Shavon Lane (6-3, 280) John Curtis Christian
Will carry 300 pound in college, good upside. Arkansas Monticello.