Louisiana
Top running backs in Louisiana high school football
This is “The Year of the Running Back” in Louisiana.
The crop of senior tailbacks in the state is unprecedented in its depth, starting at the top with the country’s best in LSU commit Harlem Berry.
Top quarterbacks in Louisiana high school football
Keep reading to learn more about the senior backs and a couple of juniors as SBLive Louisiana now presents the top running backs to watch for in the 2024 season.
Top 2025 Louisiana high school football recruits
Measurables: 6-0, 220
Ford ran for 1,836 yards on 174 carries with 19 TDs in the regular season alone for the Tigers, who won five more games to claim the Division II non-select state title. Ranked as a four-star, the No. 5 player in Louisiana and No. 14 running back by Rivals. Will run against some of the state’s best programs in non-district games vs. Edna Karr and Zachary.
As a sophomore, helped OHS to its first district title since 1994. That year against Beau Chene, he set a school record with a nine-carry, 317-yard, four-TD performance.
Opelousas 2025 RB D’Shaun Ford building momentum off team’s surprising state championship run
Measurables: 6-0, 200
The University of Texas commit is ranked by On3 as a four-star, the No. 4 player in Louisiana, No. 10 running back and overall No. 162 player. Rushed for 1,600 yards on 192 carries with 21 TDs for a 14-0 team that won the Division III select state title.
Named to The Shreveport Bossier Advocate’s preseason Tremendous 13. Older brother John Simon IV is a receiver at Louisiana Tech. Father John Simon coached collegiately.
Measurables: 5-10, 182
LSU commit is ranked five stars, the No. 1 player in Louisiana, the No. 1 RB and overall No. 17 player by On3. Rushed for 2,080 yards and 37 TDs as a junior for a Division IV select quarterfinal team. Added 20 catches for 401 yards and seven TDs.
Also placed second in the 200-meter dash at the Class 1A outdoor state track meet. Has rushed for 2,000 yards all three years. Named the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s Outstanding Amateur Male Athlete in the New Orleans metro area for 2023-24.
Measurables: 5-11, 185
LSU commit is ranked four stars, the No. 4 player in Louisiana, No. 5 RB and overall No. 151 player by 247Sports. Rated four stars and a top 10 in-state player by all four major recruiting sites.
Totaled 1,729 yards and 26 TDs for a No. 13 seed that blanked No. 4 Brother Martin, 23-0, in the regionals before falling, 40-34, to Edna Karr in the quarterfinals. Has 4.48 speed in the 40-yard dash and 10.85 in the 100 meters.
Measurables: 5-8, 150
Liberty University commit is rated four stars and the No. 9 player in Louisiana by ESPN. Ran for 1,648 yards with 19 TDs (averaged 7.6 yards per carry, caught 12 passes for 148 yards and a TD, and averaged 39 yards per kick return with a score). Runs a 10.4 in the 100 meters and 21.48 in the 200.
Measurables: 6-0, 200
University of Michigan commit is rated four stars, the No. 6 player in Louisiana, No. 14 RB and overall No. 186 player by On3. Ran for 171 yards and five TDs in a rivalry game vs. Archbishop Rummel. Gained 174 yards on 19 carries with three TDs and caught two passes for 87 yards in a 57-50 win over Carencro.
Finished with 1,119 yards on 167 carries (missed two games) with 16 TDs.
Measurables: 5-10, 175
Ranked as the No. 17 player in Louisiana and No. 35 RB by On3, which predicts Duke, California and Ole Miss as the favorites to land Sheppard, who scored six TDs in a quarterfinal upset of Airline. Rushed for 1,847 yards on 270 carries with 36 TDs.
Added 26 receptions for 308 yards and four TDs to ignite the Skippers to their first state semifinal berth since 2015.
Measurables: 6-0, 205
Miami, Penn State, North Carolina and Marshall have offered Harvey, who has an attractive size/speed combination. Scored three TDs in a 42-0 win over South Lafourche. Helped the Griffins to the Division I non-select semifinals.
Won the 100 and 200-meter dashes at the district track meet, posting personal best times of 10.73 and 21.91. Was the Offensive MVP of District 5-5A despite sharing carries with senior backs.
Measurables: 5-11, 200
Has rushed for 5,130 career yards and 64 TDs. Picked up a Tulane offer in August. As a junior, rushed for 2,425 yards on 295 carries with 32 TDs.
The nephew of former Leesville & LSU tailback Michael Ford is the two-time All-Vernon Parish Offensive MVP. Named to the Warrick Dunn Award watchlist.
Measurables: 5-9, 195
Rushed for 2,911 yards on 198 carries with 47 TDs (14.7 yards per carry). Caught 15 passes for 305 yards and two TDs. Finished with 3,468 all-purpose yards and 320 points, which include 10 two-point conversions. Scored nine touchdowns in a win over Opelousas Catholic.
Named the No. 11 senior in the Baton Rouge area by JK Lee Sports. Analyst Brandon Howard said this: “Elzy is a well-put-together back who has several DI FCS offers. He knows how to find the hole, has great vision and shows burst.”
Measurables: 5-10, 185
Gordon rushed for 1,918 yards with 23 TDs and tacked on 324 receiving yards and four TDs. Shouldered a heavy load after quarterback Jaboree Antoine was injured early in the season. Topped the 200-yard mark in two games and ran for 196 and three TDs in another.
Analyst Sam Spiegelman wrote about Gordon last year: “Well-equipped back who can run inside and out, through contact, and has enough juice and quickness to beat herds of tacklers around the edge.”
Measurables: 5-9, 185
Played a traditional fullback role in a flexbone-type offense. Has 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash and a 4.1 shuttle. Ran for 1,902 yards on 270 carries with 21 TDs for a team that reached the Division II non-select quarterfinals. Was also a Louisiana Football Coaches Association Class 3A first team All-State selection.
Invited to play in the Gridiron Football All-American game. As a sophomore, rushed for 1,008 yards and eight TDs with 334 receiving yards and five scores.
Measurables: 5-9, 180
Ran for 1,560 yards on 316 carries and 28 TDs. Also played defense, recording 38 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception he returned for a touchdown.
KALB-TV in Alexandria named Burlew its ACA Athlete of the Week in September 2023. “I just play football,” the unassuming senior told KALB’s Mary Margaret Ellison.
Measurables: 5-10, 170
Rushed for 1,306 yards and 19 TDs on 149 carries. Also had a memorable season in the secondary with 125 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, six interceptions and 13 passes broken up. Set the school record with a 575 lbs. squat in July.
Played on the Tigers’ state champion basketball team this past spring. Goes by “Monk” and has a second nickname: “Big Truck”
Measurables: 6-0, 170
Paved the way for the Tigers to claim the No. 1 seed in Division IV non-select by rushing for 1,509 yards on 198 carries with 16 TDs. Named the District 3-1A Offensive MVP.
“(Jukadynn) is a speedster who can run and catch,” LHS coach Kevin Magee told Matt Vines of The DeSoto Parish Journal in June. Ran for 156 yards on 22 carries with two TDs in a playoff win over Franklin.
Measurables: 5-10, 175
A jack of all trades on the Class 4A level, Paul returned 12 kicks for 570 yards and six TDs and accumulated 47 tackles on defense with four interceptions (two pick-sixes).
In addition, ran for 1,365 yards and 14 TDs on 146 carries and caught 11 passes for 213 yards and three scores. Squats 445 pounds. Hometown program Southern University offered in May.
Measurables: 5-9, 170
One of two 1,000-yard rushers for the Griffins, who secured the top seed in Division II non-select and reached the semifinals. Thomas ran for a team-high 1,422 yards on 186 carries with 16 TDs.
Ran for 117 yards and two TDs in a win over Northwood-Shreveport. Has a 4.0 GPA, 4.42 speed in the 40-yard dash and 10.8 in the 100 meters.
Measurables: 5-9, 195
Rushed for 1,282 yards on 155 carries (8.7 yards per carry) with 14 TDs and five 100-yard games for the Division II select runner-up Knights. Tough, sturdy runner with excellent balance who gained a lot of real estate after contact.
Caught 31 passes for 518 yards and six scores. Has a 3.7 GPA.
Measurables: 5-10, 180
“The Jet” led the Bearcats to the Division I non-select state championship with 1,752 yards on 227 carries with 20 TDs (7.7 yards per carry). Rushed for 249 yards in a win over West Monroe. Squats 405 pounds, and runs a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash.
Teams up with power back Dylone Brooks (5-10, 205, Sr.) for a thunder and lightning type combination.
Measurables: 5-9, 185
Ranked by On3 as the No. 8 player in Louisiana, No. 32 RB and No. 287 overall player. Pittsburgh, UCF, Missouri, Arkansas State, TCU, Indiana, Arkansas and Houston are among his scholarship offers.
Helped Holy Cross to the No. 1 seed in the Division I select playoffs. Tom Lemming wrote about Smith: “Very talented running back with 4.4 speed, excellent vision, balance and production.”
Measurables: 5-8, 192
Charles has put together consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. “I’m a downhill running back,” he told Jamarcus Fitzpatrick of KATC-3 TV in July. “I don’t do a lot of juking. I’m not the size of (current NFL tailback) Derrick Henry, but that’s who I feel my game is like.”
Measurables: 5-7, 195
Durable back who squats 500 pounds and power cleans 280. “It’s a whole new lifestyle,” he told Louisiana vs. All Y’all of the environment at Central under coach David Simoneaux, who led the Wildcats to the Division I non-select quarterfinals in his first year. Ran for 60 yards on four carries in a win over Capitol.
Measurables: 5-6, 150
Led the Rebels to a Division IV select runner up finish by carrying 258 times for 2,528 yards (9.8 ypc) with 42 TDs. Added 25 catches for 262 yards and two scores, and also returned a punt for a TD. Has an offer from Kentucky State. Had a career-high 344 yards and four TDs in a 55-14 win at rival St. Martin’s.
“Looking at the season, this was always going to be the big game,” he told Louisiana vs. All Y’all afterward. “(St. Martin’s Harlem Berry) is the No. 1 back. I just had to prove I’m up there, too.”
Measurables: 5-10, 200
Southeastern Louisiana commit. Scored all three of the Tigers’ touchdowns, highlighted by a 90-yard reception, in the spring game vs. Jesuit.
“He’s a phenomenal back who had a great spring,” Hahnville coach Greg Boyne told Ryan Arena of The Herald Guide. “He’s multi-dimensional and you saw that right there.”
Measurables: 6-0, 190
Nichols has been running free in the Tigers’ backfield for years. As a sophomore, was named one of Aaron’s Aces by KNOE-TV after rushing for 198 yards on 28 carries in a playoff win over East Ascension. Scored on a 1-yard plunge to lift the Tigers to a 30-29 win over Evangel Christian in the 2023 season opener.
Prep Redzone called Nichols “a hard-running mainstay” in its Offseason 3-2-1 Spotlight.
Measurables: 5-9, 195
Bullish runner is a perfect fit for the Knights’ blue-collar attack. Two-time powerlifting champion who rushed for 1,224 yards on 166 carries and 20 TDs and caught 14 passes for 166 yards and a TD. Has a 4.0 GPA.
“I’m not a vocal person, I lead by example,” he told William Weathers of Geaux Preps in an article titled “Powering Up: Reid Chauvin’s ascent to Episcopal’s No. 1 running back.”
Measurables: 5-11, 205
Asberry, who committed to nearby Southern University, was named to the Warrick Dunn Watch List. A two-time state champion who rushed for 1,278 yards and 19 TDs in 2023. Told John Eads of WAFB-TV that he “gets chills” thinking about playing in the SWAC.
Could go for 2,000 yards with the transfer of Jerome Harris, who rushed for 1,118 yards on 120 carries with 15 TDs as a sophomore, from Southern Lab to another Baton Rouge select school in Dunham.
Measurables: 5-9, 160
Broke the single season rushing record as a freshman at St. Edmund in Eunice. Led the Lafayette metro area in last year with right around 2,000 yards. Transferred to Northwest, which graduated the area’s second leading rusher in Ja’Vain Reese.
Named the Gridiron Football Player of the Week in September 2022 after rushing for 248 yards on 21 carries with two TDs (and an 83-yard kickoff return).
– Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA
Responsible Anglers United, LDWF release bass into Lake Bouef
Responsible Anglers United team up with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to release more than 3,000 Florida bass into Lake Bouef on Oct. 17.
While Louisiana’s largest lake, the Toledo Bend Reservoir, spans 1,200 miles of shoreline, the state’s deepest lake only spans 1,125 acres.
Lake Peigneur is the deepest lake in Louisiana, with a depth measuring approximately 200 feet.
Lake Peigneur is a brackish lake, meaning it contains saltwater but has less salinity than seawater, located in New Iberia Parish in South Louisiana.
How did Lake Peigneur become the deepest lake in Louisiana?
Lake Peigneur was not always considered the deepest lake in Louisiana, as it was only a 10-foot-deep freshwater lake 40 years ago.
On Nov. 20, 1980, an oil rig crew was attempting to free a 14-inch drill bit when they heard popping noises and the rig began to tilt. Shortly after the crew abandoned the rig and headed for shore, the crew watched the 150-foot oil rig disappear into the 10-foot-deep lake.
Soon, a whirlpool formed in place of the oil rig. The whirlpool grew rapidly until it was able to suck up nearby boats, barges, trees, a house and half an island.
At the same location of the oil drilling site, there was also a salt mine, and when the whirlpool formed after the oil rig collapsed, the mine began to fill with water. As the whirlpool grew, water was able to enter the mine at such a force that it caused a geyser to spew out of the mine’s opening for hours until the lake was drained.
After the lake was emptied, the Delcambre Canal began to flow backward, marking the only time in history that the Gulf of Mexico flowed into the continental U.S. This backflow continued until the entire mine and lake were filled with water, except now the lake was filled with saltwater, according to an article published on Louisiana Tech Digital Commons.
Can you swim in Lake Peigneur?
Before the oil rig and salt mine accident, Lake Peigneur was a popular spot for fishing and recreational activities. However, since the lake is almost entirely surrounded by private property, visitors will have to enter the nearby Rip Van Winkle Gardens in order to get a closer look, according to Atlas Obscura.
While there are no reports indicating the lake is unsafe, the lake is not exactly developed for public access. However, there are things to do around Lake Peigneur, like visiting Rip Van Winkle Gardens on Jefferson Island, or visiting Avery Island to tour the Tabasco Factory.
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — A local fisherman raised concerns about the substance now coating Opal Beach, citing a recent oil spill off the coast of Louisiana.
WEAR News went to officials with the Gulf Islands National Seashore and Escambia County to find out the cause.
They say it’s not related to an oil spill, but is in fact algae.
The Marine Resources Division says they can understand beachgoers’ concerns, and hope to raise awareness.
“You don’t even want to get near it because it’s so gooey and sticky,” local fisherman Larry Grossman said. “It was accumulating on my beach cart wheels yesterday, and it felt like an oil product.”
Grossman messaged WEAR News on Monday after noticing something brown and oozy in the sand. He says it started showing up by Fort Pickens and stretched down to Opal Beach.
Grossman said a park service employee told him it could be oil from a recent spill in Louisiana. So he took a message to social media, sparking some reactions and raising questions.
“it certainly didn’t seem like an algae bloom because I was in the water, I caught a fish and I put some water in the cooler to keep my fish cool and it almost looked like oil in it,” Grossman said. “I know some people think it’s an algae bloom, but it certainly smelled and felt and looked like oil.”
A Gulf Islands National Seashore spokesperson confirmed to WEAR News on Tuesday that the substance is algae.
WEAR News crews were at the beach as officials with the Escambia County Marines Resources Division came out take samples.
“What I found here washed up on the beach is some algae — filamentous algae, single celled algae — that washed ashore in some onshore winds,” said Robert Turpin, Escambia County Marines Resources Division manager. “This is the spring season, so with additional sunlight, our plants, they grow in warmer waters, with plenty of sunlight.”
Turpin says this algae is not harmful.
He also addressed the concerns that this could be oil, saying he’s familiar with what oil spills look like.
He says he appreciates when people like Grossman raise the concerns.
“The last thing in the world we want is something to gain traction on social media that is faults in nature that could harm our tourism,” Turpin said. “Our tourism is very important to our economy, and we want to give the right information out to the public so we all enjoy the beaches and enjoy them safely.”
Turpin says if you see something or suspect something may be harmful on the beach, avoid it and contact Escambia County Marine Resources.
VIDEO: Louisiana 2026 Legislative Session Previewed in Lafayette
At One Acadiana’s Lafayette outlook event, business and policy leaders discussed the 2026 session and what it could mean for jobs, schools and voters.
BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry advocated for a constitutional amendment that would create a permanent teacher pay raise as well as an eventual elimination of the state income tax in an opening address to the Louisiana Legislature on Monday.
Landry pushed for the passage of Proposed Amendment 3 on the May 2026 ballot to free up money for teacher pay raises.
He said the amendment would pay down longstanding debt within the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana and enable the state to afford a permanent increase in teacher income. The proposed increases are $2,250 for teachers and $1,125 for support staff.
“With a ‘yes’ vote, we can strengthen the retirement system, improve their take-home pay, and guess what? We can do it without raising taxes,” Landry said.
A bill proposing the elimination of the state income tax, which takes in about $4 billion annually, was pre-filed earlier in the year by Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City. Where the money will come from to supplement the loss is currently unclear.
McCormick said in an interview with the LSU Manship School News Service that to encourage more young adults to stay in Louisiana, “we need to do away with the state income tax.”
“This is a conversation piece that hopefully we can figure out where to make cuts in the government so we can get the people their money back,” McCormick said.
But Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said at a luncheon at the Baton Rouge Press Club that if the Legislature “can be disciplined” this session, residents could anticipate a 0.5% decrease in state income tax during next year’s session. He also said bigger tax cuts have to be planned over a longer budget cycle.
Within education changes, Landry commended the placing of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, approved by the Louisiana Supreme Court in a decision handed down last week.
“You have staked the flag of morality by recognizing that the Ten Commandments are not a bad way to live your life,” Landry said. “Students who don’t read them will likely read the criminal code.”
Landry’s budget proposed an $82 million increase for corrections services following 2024 tough-on-crime legislation that eliminated parole and probation, increased sentencing and encouraged harsher punishments.
Landry directed his criticism toward the New Orleans criminal justice system, which he feels is lacking accountability, especially in courtrooms.
“Judges hold enormous power, but they are not social workers with a gavel,” he said. “They are the final gatekeepers of public safety.”
The Orleans Parish criminal justice system relies on state and local funding stemming from revenues from fees imposed on those arrested, according to the Vera Institute. Landry said the state spends twice as much on the Orleans system as it does in East Baton Rouge Parish, the largest parish in the state.
“Being special does not mean being exempt from accountability,” Landry said.
Overall, Landry pushed for fewer and different ideas compared to the sweeping agenda he laid out at the start of previous legislative sessions. Henry mentioned at the Baton Rouge Press Club that the governor would like for this session to be a “member-driven session instead of an administrative session.”
Landry spoke only in general terms about his proposal for more funding for LA Gator, his program to let parents use state money to send their children to private schools.
“We must find a path so that the hard-earned money of parents follow their child to the education of their choice,” he said.
He has proposed doubling funding for the LA Gator program from $44 million a year to $88.2 million. The likelihood of this occurring is yet to be seen, as prominent lawmakers such as Sen. Henry are hesitant to approve an increase in funding.
Landry similarly did not mention carbon capture projects, despite the issue gaining traction from affected parish residents and lawmakers.
House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, told the Baton Rouge Press Club last week that 22 bills have been filed in the House that he would consider “anti-carbon capture.”
Landry also cited data centers and other giant industrial development projects and touted his administration’s success in bringing more jobs to Louisiana and in helping to lower insurance premiums over the past year.
“May we continue to employ courage over comfort, and if we do, there is really no limit to what we can do for Louisiana,” Landry said.
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