Latest recruiting buzz in The Boot on several Louisiana prospects
Spring is in full gear as college coaches returned to the road to get a closer look at their top targets in the 2024 class and also get an eye on the next wave of talent in the 2025 and 2026 cycles.
On3 National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman provides the latest recruiting intel on several of the top recruits in The Boot for the 2024 and 2025 classes from the road:
Five-star DL Dominick McKinley
On300 No. 14 DL Dominick McKinley has locked in four official visits for the month of June. In the case of Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, it’ll be return visits for McKinley and his family, who toured through those campuses earlier this spring. McKinley will also make his first visit up to Ohio State on June 2 weekend.
Sources close to McKinley’s recruitment still point to LSU being the team to beat at this point in the spring and quietly, the Tigers have gotten the five-star DL on campus this spring and are trending for an official visit in December. That opens the door for an unofficial visit again in Baton Rouge this summer ahead of what is shaping up to be a late-summer decision.
Four-star CB Wardell Mack
On3 top-30 CB Wardell Mack made a string of out-of-state visits in April to get his first looks at Florida State, Florida and Texas, and already squared away official visits back to Gainesville and Austin for June. The Seminoles are also expected to get Mack on campus for an official visit. Ole Miss and Alabama are also still pushing for visits.
Mack capped his out-of-state tour with a visit back to Baton Rouge for LSU’s spring game. The elite defensive back is aiming to have a decision in place after his June official visits. LSU is trending heavily on the RPM.
Four-star LB Tylen Singleton
On3 Industry Ranking No. 11 LB Tylen Singleton has official visits set to TCU, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas A&M for the summer, and that will also include an unofficial visit back to Baton Rouge. Right now, LSU is trending for a December official visit with Singleton.
The versatile 6-foot-2, 200-pounder from Many (La.) is coveted by several schools at a variety of different positions. Tennessee and Texas A&M like him at linebacker; TCU likes him at safety; Arkansas at corner and LSU in the nickel. Singleton is also emphasizing his business major in his decision, which is expected in July or August.
Four-star CB Ju’Juan Johnson
One-time Colorado commitment Ju’Juan Johnson pressed reset on his recruitment after returning to Boulder for the Buffs’ spring game last month. The Louisiana native is aiming to stay in the South and is already set to officially visit to Florida and Ole Miss in June. Johnson will also get back to LSU in June unofficially.
Buzz around Johnson has fluctuated between the Gators and Tigers consistently, but there is a sense of confidence about LSU’s position long-term. Texas has stayed afloat in this race and so has Texas A&M, and new Ole Miss DC Pete Golding was a part of Johnson’s recruitment while at Alabama.
Four-star WR Michael Turner
Four-star speedster WR Michael Turner has been a favorite for coaches on the road, especially as the state champion two-way player from River Ridge (La.) John Curtis thrives running track this spring. Several SEC offers have flooded in for Turner that have moved the needle — including Ole Miss, Florida and Georgia.
Turner also made his way to LSU for the spring game and hit Nebraska on the final weekend of April. Buzz around Turner has been around Georgia and Nebraska. The Huskers were early to jump on Turner and love his speed, and so do the two-time defending champs. Georgia is working to get Turner on campus this summer for a workout.
Three-star DL Melvin Hills
Melvin Hills tripped to Texas, Ole Miss, Florida State and Georgia over the spring, and already has a June official visit locked in with the Longhorns. Multiple members of Texas’ staff have been by Lafayette (La.) Lafayette Christian already this spring, and momentum has been building in the Longhorns’ favor quickly since that March visit.
Three-star CB Bernard Causey
Expect three-star New Orleans (La.) John F. Kennedy CB Bernard Causey to catch a lot of eyes of coaches this spring as the 6-foot, 170-pound corner fits the profile of a long, athletic and confident corner. Causey caught the eyes of several schools already this spring, including Nebraska and Texas Tech, and picked up an overture from Ole Miss on Monday.
I’ve already logged an RPM in favor of the Rebels, who are expecting to get Causey on campus in the near future.
Three-star TE Traville Frederick Jr. (Tulane commit)
Three-star Tulane-committed TE Trevelle Frederick has seen his stock rise rapidly in the past couple of weeks as schools like Alabama and Florida extended camp offers to the 6-foot-3, 210-pounder from Jeanerette (La.) High School.
Frederick visited Oregon last weekend for the spring game and the Ducks are already working to get him back on campus in camp to work out for the staff. Alabama is also working to get Frederick to town for a June camp. The sense is that Frederick will end up finding his way into an SEC team’s recruiting class this December.
Three-star WR Koby Young
Koby Young has squeezed several big visits into the schedule along with a run at repeat state championship in track and field. Young, a top-10 player in The Boot, made his way to Alabama and Oklahoma for the first time in March and then returned to LSU a few times last time.
Texas and Florida are continuing to get Young to campus, but there’s a sense that a decision isn’t far off. If a decision were made today, I like where LSU stands.
Three-star S Anthony Robinson
One of the most impactful defensive recruits in The Boot is three-star safety Anthony Robinson, who made spring visits out to TCU and Ole Miss, and the sense is that the Rebels are positioned well with one of the top players on their secondary board in 2024.
Former Rebels assistant Marty Biagi has put the Fighting Irish right into the thick of Robinson’s recruitment and a visit is scheduled for June 4 weekend. TCU is also working to get Robinson back in Funky Town for an official visit in June.
Three-star TE Will Loerzel
A good chunk of the in-state schools have already offered 6-foot-5, 250-pound TE Will Loerzel, who stepped in for an injured Will Randle (Texas) with Arch Manning (Texas) last season. Tulane, Louisiana Tech are both major contenders with the three-star tight end, who is catching more and more eyes of coaches stopping Uptown this spring.
Keep an eye out for Purdue. Loerzel’s father Jason Loerzel played in West Lafayette with former New Orleans Saints great Drew Brees.
Three-star LB Tah’j Butler (Georgia Tech commit)
Talented three-star LB Tah’j Butler recently gave a commitment to Georgia Tech, but there’s a lot of buzz around the second-level defender this spring. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Butler is also drawing a lot of eyes from SEC coaches. Keep an eye out for Ole Miss to possibly offer the recent ACC commitment.
Three-star RB Jason Gabriel Jr.
Three-star speedster RB Jason Gabriel put on a show at LSU’s camp last summer and helped key John Curtis’ run toward a state title last December. This spring, he has drawn the eyes of several programs in-state, including Grambling State and Tulane.
The rash of NFL experience on Hue Jackson’s staff at Grambling has been a major eye-catcher for Gabriel, who is also a top target for Willie Fritz and co. at Tulane trying to keep one of New Orleans’ best close to home. Gabriel has continued to stay in touch with members of LSU’s staff and will return in June. A decision is expected before making a run at another championship.
Four-star OL Brett Bordelon (LSU commit)
On300 junior OL Brett Bordelon was the first in-state domino to fall for Brian Kelly‘s 2025 class — which should come as no surprise since Bordelon — an LSU legacy — was among the coach’s first offers after taking the job in Baton Rouge.
Bordelon made an early call to join his older brother Bo at LSU, but schools have continued to offer the four-star lineman. That includes Miami, which offered Bordelon last week. Sources close to his recruitment call his commitment to the Tigers “rock solid.”
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