New Orleans is among the most talented metros in America when it comes to scouting football talent, and the numbers back it up.
The city produces more NFL talent, per capita, than any metro outside the state of Florida besides Houston. In total volume, the state of Louisiana sits sixth in the country in the number of natives playing at football's highest level.
It means there is always top-end talent but also depth to consider in the region, which Sports Illustrated saw firsthand April 24 while attending the “Battle of the South” camp in New Orleans. Six performers, in particular, caught our attention.
OL Caden Jones, Class of 2023
Checking in at a staggering 6'8" at the beginning of the event, Jones was hard to miss in just about every sense. Adding good weight as a junior and carrying some 315 pounds relatively well, it's no surprise his stock has increased since the 2021 season ended. A physical tackle with enough finesse to contend in pass protection, Texas is his most recent scholarship offer, and it came from coach Steve Sarkisian himself. Texas A&M offered him recently, too, and at least two members of his family attended the program. LSU, Florida, Florida State and others are recruiting Jones, too. The summer months will be telling as to where one of the biggest offensive line prospects in the country will play college football.
QB AJ Samuel, Class of 2023
A multiyear starter with plenty of winning under his belt at Edna Karr High School in New Orleans, Samuel is among the best in the city as a dual-threat talent. He has physically matured and looks in total control at 6 feet, 200 pounds, with a confidence about his game. No other passer took as many reps as Samuel did that day, showcasing a nice balance of arm strength and touch depending on the task at hand. He was particularly sharp down the field and also ran well during the testing portion of the event. Hawai‘i is on the offer list and many others are in contact, including South Alabama, where Samuel made a visit in March.
WR Makhi Paris, Class of 2023
Coming off of a knee injury, Paris was likely the best story coming out of the camp. He looked healthy and fluid all afternoon. Able to run in the 4.5-second range to kick off the day, the physical wide receiver backed it up with consistent wins during one-on-one competition. He is reliable both in plucking the ball away from his body and making contested grabs in traffic. There is also a solid foundation present as a route runner, with lower-body physicality allowing Paris to stave off press coverage near the line of scrimmage. Set to play at Edna Karr with Samuel, Paris has interest from Mississippi State, Louisiana and Southern.
Beau Brune
DB Jeremiah Clark, Class of 2024
There was no denying who the top cover prospect was at the event as soon as Clark got into his reps. Despite a smaller stature, he competed as well as any DB at the line of scrimmage and showed a combination of quick reaction and make-up speed in working his press technique. While in off coverage, Clark was instinctive and efficient in his breaks, often getting his hands on the football along the way. The scrappy cornerback has a chance to further lift his profile this offseason by running with the Louisiana Bootleggers seven-on-seven club. Louisiana has hosted Clark for a visit of late as his recruitment picks up.
QB Beau Perez, Class of 2024
A name to know heading into the 2022 season, Perez is set to compete for the starting job at Jesuit High School. With the chance to take the reins for two seasons, the 6'4" muscular passer has the chance to show off what was likely the strongest arm of the competitors. He showed good footwork relative to his size and worked the ball outside the numbers on a consistent basis. Perez proved accurate while working inside the pocket, where his timing was also mature beyond his varsity experience thus far.
WR Phillip Wright III, Class of 2025
If there is a potential superstar recruit to come from the event, Wright is the selection based on the one-day sample. Just a freshman at the time, he competed for the fastest 40-yard dash time of any competitor and looked like the most explosive pass catcher along the way. Local coaches have hand-timed Wright in the sub-4.4-second range in the 40 on multiple occasions, but the rising sophomore showed competitiveness and natural ball skills beyond his blazing speed while working on offense. Already in the 5'11" range with length, a wide receiver or defensive back projection could make sense down the line. The cousin of NFL cornerback Dante Jackson, Wright has since clocked 10.77 seconds in the 100-meter dash, verifying some of the easy speed he creates on the football field.
"He tells me I just gotta keep putting in the work, keep my grades up so I can get the best offers," Wright said of Jackson's advice to him.
LSU, Miami and others have already expressed considerable interest in recruiting Wright.
Beau Brune
Video and images for this feature were provided by Dynasty U, a free social media app that connects athletes, colleges and fans on one platform.
