2008 Recruiting Wars

[Rebel02]

He is 6'6", has really big feet, an 80" wingspan, and his 29" vertical allows him to leap over small Volkswagens in a single bound. He is probably the single most improved player in the state this year, his coach certainly thinks so. He is one of those late bloomers that did not have a single offer until the season was over, and based on his play in the last 5 games of the season, currently holds between 5 and 7 offers, depending on who you ask. He will only be 17 when he graduates from HS. This kid has class, comes from a great family, has very good grades, and will likely play in the NFL one day. Be happy!

I will let CajunT get to his story, as we all know, guys with big feet can be hard to catch up with over the holidays.

Okay, okay, I'll admit it. I am the recruit that drumroll is speaking of. I didn't want this to get out like this, but I must confess. I am the prize recruit he is speaking of. Everything he has said fits me to a T....


....when I'm dreaming it fits me to a T.

[zephyr]

We are going to be extremely happy seing Gautier play through his career as well as Dean, the DT. I agree, this recruiting class may be a sleeper class. Some of these guys don't get the "ratings" they probably should. A couple of sportswriters that cover him called Gautier a "special" player and I liked what I saw in the all-star game he recently played in against top LA talent.

[zephyr]

ESPN also had him as a committment.

[Cajunsmike]

We are going to be extremely happy seing Gautier play through his career as well as Dean, the DT. I agree, this recruiting class may be a sleeper class. Some of these guys don't get the "ratings" they probably should. A couple of sportswriters that cover him called Gautier a "special" player and I liked what I saw in the all-star game he recently played in against top LA talent.

The TP recently had their Top 25 ranking of Louisiana high school players. Most were going to LSU with some going to out of state major schools. They also had a "best of the rest" section. Gauthier was the top guy listed on best of the rest.

[CajunT]

_ He was never offered by UL...he told scout and other services like that, that he was committed to UL but never was. Cajun T would be the best to answer the question but I believe that is the basics of it. _

You nailed on the head clutch, Laday told me in a phone interview that he was committed to UL. Laday has family in Opelousas and wanted to play close to them. The problem was, he had no offers from the Cajuns. He had a spring visit from one of the coaches and a few letters. He also told Rivals Pelican Prep that same thing in a phone interview as well. The one negative that came out of this whole story, we lost out on a very good WR from Florida.

[rhineaux]

The one negative that came out of this whole story, we lost out on a very good WR from Florida. _

How's that? The Florida kid thought we already had a commit from this Laday character, and so he decided to commit somewhere else?

[rhineaux]

_ We are going to be extremely happy seing Gautier play through his career as well as Dean, the DT. I agree, this recruiting class may be a sleeper class. Some of these guys don't get the "ratings" they probably should. A couple of sportswriters that cover him called Gautier a "special" player and I liked what I saw in the all-star game he recently played in against top LA talent. _

Sure does sound like a lot of talent is coming this way. Its nice to see some nicely regarded locals coming to play Defense over here.

Just makes me think, though, if Bustle has another poor year, reacord wise, he might not be around here to enjoy all of these recruits he's signing.

[CajunT]

_ How's that? The Florida kid thought we already had a commit from this Laday character, and so he decided to commit somewhere else? _

That is correct, C.Michigan. They came back on Gautier as well.

[zephyr]

Without a doubt. Bustle needs a good year this year, period. If he doesn't see 7 wins at least, he's probably out. The only problem is who could we possibly get to come in here. The program is much better than when Baldwin left but that's not saying much. We would finally have to tap into that larger operating athletic budget and pony up the dough.

[NewsCopy]

Two days after Christmas, UL football coach Rickey Bustle crossed another name off his holiday recruiting wish list. Dutchtown High's Sean Osborne gave a verbal commitment Thursday night to sign a letter of intent with the Ragin' Cajuns on National Signing Day, which is Feb. 6. Osborne, a two-star recruit by Rivals.com who played defensive end in high school, said there's a chance he could move to offensive tackle at the next level. He has been timed at 4.85 seconds in the 40-yard dash - an impressive time considering he carries 250 pounds on his 6-foot-6 frame. "(UL's coaches) told me I have good feet for a college defensive lineman, but that I could have really good feet for a college offensive lineman," Osborne said late Friday night. "I'll play wherever they need for me to play. I met with their strength coach and offensive line coach, and I think they could mold me into a pretty good offensive lineman. "I'm already pretty big, but they can put some more weight on me. If I can keep my quick feet I could be pretty good." Osborne, who attended several Cajun games during the season, made an unofficial visit to UL's campus during the weekend of Dec. 15. He becomes the 10th player to verbally commit to UL's recruiting class of 2008. The rest of the story Joshua Parrott jparrott@theadvertiser.com

[Just1More]

I don't know anything about Osborne, but will find out from Dutchtown friends. I like a guy with the frame to build on, but with natural speed and quickness. You cannot teach speed/quickness. On the surface, he sounds like a really good prospect. If this is what I read into it, I commend the coaching staff for looking at guys that are high performers in high school, but would be overlooked due to some height/weight issue. If I were a UL recruiter and were looking for a diamond in the rough... the very last element I would overlook is speed. Overlook the weight or the height... but never, ever overlook the QUICKNESS, SPEED, and God-given NATURAL INSTINCTS.

[DrumRoll]

_ I don't know anything about Osborne, but will find out from Dutchtown friends. I like a guy with the frame to build on, but with natural speed and quickness. You cannot teach speed/quickness. On the surface, he sounds like a really good prospect. If this is what I read into it, I commend the coaching staff for looking at guys that are high performers in high school, but would be overlooked due to some height/weight issue. If I were a UL recruiter and were looking for a diamond in the rough... the very last element I would overlook is speed. Overlook the weight or the height... but never, ever overlook the QUICKNESS, SPEED, and God-given NATURAL INSTINCTS. _

I would add "work ethic" and "character" as mandatory, and Osborne is a 5 star in both.

Sometimes what a guy does when nobody is looking, is far more important than anything else.