Top 50 New Orleans area football recruits for Class of 2021 (Nos. 26-50)

As we put the bow on the 2020 college football recruiting class, coaches and fans now ramp up interest for the impending ’21 class. It’s time to look ahead at what next year’s class offers.

Here is an early peek at the Greater Metro area’s 2021 top prospects. This list is preliminary so the pecking order and names on this list may adjust slightly as the process moves along.

We will begin today with the bottom half (Nos. 26-50):

26. WR Khari Fields (6-1, 165) Helen Cox…good route runner, finds creases in the secondary. Interest from Kansas State, Tulane, UTSA, ULL and La. Tech.

27. ATH Lynarise Elpheage (5-6, 145, 4.4 forty) Carver…47 catches for 562 yards and 2 TD’s in 2019. Dynamic, like a human joystick, fearless, dangerous with ball, will be a four-year starter. KR/PR extraordinaire. Offers Troy, Nicholls, SLU, NW State.

28. WR Luke Besh (6-1, 180, 4.6) Jesuit…56 grabs 630 yards and 7 TD’s last season. Runs precidse routes, will make the 50/50 catches, reliable, uses body well vs. defender. State schools, Ivy League, Sun Belt, AAC

29. RB Jake Dalmado (5-10, 185, 4.6) Hannan…1,173 yards (6.4 per carry), 14 TD’s. Good cuts, patient, squirts through hole. All District. 3.1 GPA, 505 lbs. squat. State schools, SLC

30. WR/TE Luke LaForge (6-2, 200) Jesuit…captain for Jays as a junior, which is rare. Can add weight and grow into TE or H-Back. Very smart, excellent deep snapper, good character, work ethic, could get academic scholarship. State schools, AAC, Ivy League, Sun Belt.

31. QB John Autry (6-0, 190) Slidell…threw for 2,078 yards (62% completions) 17 TD’s, 4 int. Strong arm, can run, quick release. Excellent athlete who plays baseball and soccer. State schools, SWAC, SLC

32. DE Jace Williams (6-2, 220) Slidell…slips blocks, good in space. Looks from Baylor, Tulane and South Alabama.

33. OT Jaquon Jones (6-3, 245) St. James…3A All State. good feet, knee bend, pass blocker, moves well in space. State schools, SWAC.

34. WR Y’Quan Townsend (6-3, 190, 4.55) Ehret…20 catches 482 yards 3 TD’s in ’19. Goes by moniker “cantguardquan.” Long arms, athletic, good catching radius, catches in a crowd. Arkansas-Monticello offer.

35. DB Will Hawkins (6-1, 200) Jesuit…three-year starter, terrific hitter, seldom repeats same mistake, academic scholarship candidate. State school, Ivy League, AAC

36. OT Michael Nuber (6-2, 275) Slidell… 2019 All State, good technique, super effort,uses hands well. State schools, SLC

37. CB Alijah Hamilton (5-11, 180) Hahnville…solid tackler, ball skills, good in coverage. Grambling offer with looks from Memphis, ULL and Houston.

38. LB Kylin White (5-11, 215) John Curtis…73 stops with 5 sacks in 2019. Physical tackler, reads and reacts, similar to ex-Patriot LB Hezekiah White (Nicholls State). Downhill tackler. SLC, state schools.

39. RB Jaylon Spears (5-8, 180, 4.55) Brother Martin…380 lbs. squat, 30″ vertical, terrific balance, YAC, north/south runner, squares shoulders, plays bigger. State schools, SLC.

40. QB Kyle Wickersham (6-3, 218) Rummel…In 2019, he had 14 TD’s, 5 interceptions. He could make big jump in 2020, may be looked at for position change. Good mobility, pocket presence, uses eyes well, good velocity. Nicholls offer.

41. WR Kaejean Kendrick (5-10, 180, 4.5) West St. John…22 catches 572 yards, 4 TD’s (26 yard average). Crossing patterns and a deep threat who creates separation. State schools, SWAC.

42. CB Robert Ursin (5-7, 140) Lutcher…locates ball, very active, makes up for lack of size. Will deliver a blow. Looks from ULL, Tulane, Nicholls, Southern Miss.

43. QB Josh Bailey (6-4, 185) Fountainbleau…1,611 yards, 11 TD’s, 8 int. Lefty slinger, handles RPO’s well. Athletic, capable runner, eyes lots of film study, reads coverage, makes progressions. Runs 110 and 300 meter hurdles on track. State schools, Sun Belt.

44. QB/ATH Kendall Sampson (5-11, 170) St. Augustine…dual threat QB threw for 1,573 yards, 17 TD’s, 9 interceptioms last year. Can hurt you with his feet and make tough throws. May be looked at as a WR. State schools, SWAC.

45. ATH Gage Larvadain (5-7, 150) Riverside…point guard in basketball and QB for football, he is a playmaker either way. Earned Metro Player of Week last season. Plays with a lot of heart.

46. DB Kerry McMillion (6-4, 175) John Curtis…very physical, packs a wallop, roams secondary looking to make impact. State schools, SLC.

47. LB Andrew Jones (6-1, 203) Ehret…400 lbs. squat, very physical, runs well. Downhill tackler. State schools, SWAC.

48. DB Sterling Scott (5-11, 175) Newman…playmaker, reads QB eyes, two-sports star, All District OF in baseball. Had six interceptions in 2019. State schools, Sun Belt, AAC.

49. ATH Keenan Gauff (5-10, 170, 4.5) St. Charles Catholic… in track, runs 4 X 100, 4 X 200 relays, home run threat as wideouts, patient running back, cutback, special teams, durable, shifty in open field. State schools, SLC.

50. WR Alfred Luke (5-8, 165) Warren Easton…athletic, elusive in space, Triple jump in track. Sun Belt, state schools, SWAC.

Stay tuned for top half of the 2021 list…