Taking the Next Step: Louisiana product looking for big 2020 seasons in college football

A few locals who have grabbed starting roles or have a good chance to do so in the FBS could make headlines in 2020. Some return as starters who can really make names for themselves nationally in 2020.

Virginia’s Mike Hollins, a redshirt freshman out of University Lab, totaled 1,645 yards and 33 scores as prep senior. He’ll share the ball with quarterback Keytoan Thompson, a Mississippi State transfer and former Landry-Walker star who won state titles in football and basketball Thompson is competing for starter’s role.

Missouri defensive end Chris Turner, a Hammond alum, was just a two-star prospect in 2017. Now he’s a starter at a school which has produced productive players off the edge during the past decade.

Lance LeGendre was a highly-touted prospect out of Warren Easton in 2019. The strong-armed dual threat is penciled in as starter at Maryland but he will get competition from Virginia Tech grad transfer Joshua Jackson.

A position change made be just what’s needed for Bruce Jordan-Swilling, who has spent past three seasons as linebacker for Georgia Tech. In 2020, the 6-foot-2, 225 pounder moves back to running back where he had 5,393 career rushing yards and 83 touchdowns at Brother Martin.

Rodarius Williams, a senior at Oklahoma State, is a starter at cornerback. In ’19, he made 58 tackles and six pass breakups for the Cowboys in the pass-happy Big XII. Williams prepped at Calvary Baptist. His brother Greedy Williams, the former LSU cornerback, is now with Cleveland Browns.

Lance Robinson, a starting cornerback at Kansas State, prepped at De La Salle.

Corione Harris, a junior starting cornerback at Kansas, is another Landry-Walker product.

Caleb Sampson, a Northlake Christian alum, is a starting junior defensive end at Kansas.

Offensive guard Malik Clark (6-4, 325), another Jayhawks starter, is a senior from Warren Easton.

Utah’s Devin Brumfield, is the returning leading rusher for Utes. While at Covington, the junior had 6,549 career yards and 70 touchdowns.

Former Destrehan wide receiver Michael Young is a grad transfer at Cincinnati. The junior who came to the Bearcats from Notre Dane, is penciled in to start.

UTSA quarterback Lowell Narcisse enrolled at LSU in 2017 but transferred in December ’18. He was the second leading rusher for Roadrunners last year with 492 yards and four scores. The St. James product must take step forward this fall to grab snaps from sophomore Frank Harris.

Former McDonogh 35 safety Brad Stewart has played in 33 games at Florida. As senior for the Roneagles in 2016, he totaled 111 tackles and 11 interceptions under the late Wayne Reese.

Joe Foucha, another McDonogh 35 product, starts at free safety for Arkansas. In 12 starts last season, he compiled 87 tackles and interception.

Greg Brooks, a cornerback from West Jefferson, made 12 starts for Arkansas as well in ’19. The sophomore nickleback had 25 tackles and a pick.

Clifford Chattman, yet another one of the great Reese’s former Roneagles, is a regular contributor for Texas A&M. The 6-5 defensive back had 28 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception last year.

A pair of former Saints have sons now carrying on the family name in the FBS, too.

Lagniappe

Lorenzo Neal was a 255-pound battering ram at fullback for 16 seasons in the NFL, playing his first four years as a pro with New Orleans. His son Lorenzo is even bigger, a 6-3, 315-pound defensive tackle at Purdue.

Alex Molden, a Saints first round pick out of Oregon in 1996, spent eight years in NFL. His son Elijah is a cornerback at Washington who is currently projected to follow in his father’s top-round footsteps in the 2021 NFL Draft.