Ragin' Cajuns land two JUCO standouts

[jllanclos]

we took Dwight Bentley as CB from the JC ranks and he was one of our top corners as a freshman-he did not play in JC. _

As in didn't play CB, or didn't play at all???

[zephyr]

_ As in didn't play CB, or didn't play at all??? _

Didn't play at all because he redshirted which is why we are fortunate to get him for 3 more years!!!!

[CajunT]

_ Ladarius Green had offers from FIU and FAU to play football but also had an offer from Tulane to play basketball. Late in the process that he decided to do football. Some schools overlooked him because they weren't sure if he was fast enough to be a WR or big enough to be a TE. Looks like UL's gamble worked out.

Despite being a few inches shorter than the typical DT, Derrick Dean got offers from Memphis and FIU and had a lot of interest from Minnesota. He was overmatched at times this season as a true freshman, but he'll get stronger in the offseason and will make a big impact next fall.

Ryan McCoy signed with Tulsa out of high school but didn't get a high enough ACT score. He won two NJCAA national titles at junior college powers before signing with North Texas but didn't get cleared because of a health issue. He's a Division I talent that has gone through some tough times, but so far is has shown to be worth the risk. _

LaDarius visited Illinois but he did not get offered. He also was invited in to FSU late in the game as a fall back prospect, but he did not visit. Because he was a basketball prospect, other programs didn't give him a look.

[Parrott]

_ LaDarius visited Illinois but he did not get offered. He also was invited in to FSU late in the game as a fall back prospect, but he did not visit. Because he was a basketball prospect, other programs didn't give him a look. _

He mentioned back in October that Illinois had offered. But he might have been a little more tired than I thought after that practice.

Either way, that doesn't really matter though. He's at UL now.

Kind of like talking about former UL target Damaris Johnson, who finished second in the nation as a freshman at Tulsa with 2,201 all-purpose yards. (He led the nation with 1,319 kickoff return yards.)

Only Missouri's Jeremy Maclin (2,646) had more all-purpose yards this season.

[Boomer]

Maybe a good time to check----How did our recruiting class fair as of this year--who played/// who played well//// who red shirted and looks good????? Green --the real deal ---Benoit thrown in --ok for a true Freshman---who else can make a case for a damn good ,08 recruiting class??????

[VObserver]

_ Maybe a good time to check----How did our recruiting class fair as of this year--who played/// who played well//// who red shirted and looks good????? Green --the real deal ---Benoit thrown in --ok for a true Freshman---who else can make a case for a damn good ,08 recruiting class?????? _

Bentley will play on Sundays. Derrick Dean may well join him. Devon Lewis-Buchannan played well at times, especially for a guy we wanted to redshirt.

Word is that Draylon Booker and Yobes Walker are real.

Still very early to make assessments, but this class looks like a winner.

[CajunT]

_ He mentioned back in October that Illinois had offered. But he might have been a little more tired than I thought after that practice.

Either way, that doesn't really matter though. He's at UL now.

Kind of like talking about former UL target Damaris Johnson, who finished second in the nation as a freshman at Tulsa with 2,201 all-purpose yards. (He led the nation with 1,319 kickoff return yards.)

Only Missouri's Jeremy Maclin (2,646) had more all-purpose yards this season. _

Nope, you are correct. They denied it when I made the call to the Illinois staff last year. So I
have no clue if they are were being straight we me or not.

Damaris is a very special athlete! He is the only one I was personally disappointed in losing out on.

[Cajunsmike]

_ As in didn't play CB, or didn't play at all??? _

Bentley did not play at all in JC. He was a freshman in 2008 here and will be a sophomore in 2009.

[Cajunsmike]

_ Bentley will play on Sundays. Derrick Dean may well join him. Devon Lewis-Buchannan played well at times, especially for a guy we wanted to redshirt.

Word is that Draylon Booker and Yobes Walker are real.

Still very early to make assessments, but this class looks like a winner. _

The 2008 class does look good at this point. This is the same class that some services rated as No. 119 out of 119 back in February. That shows how ridiculous rankings are for schools out of the Top 30. Jay Walker once said on his show that recruiting is important but recruiting rankings are not. That is a good synopsis.

[Parrott]

Outside of a few elite prospects, very few recruits get a quality evaluation from the experts. How does anyone truly know whether one player will be better at the next level? It's almost impossible in most cases.

There are so many things to take into account at the next level. How do they respond to challenges? Are they mentally tough enough to respond to adversity? Do they take coaching in a positive manner or take it personally? Can they compete against players as big, strong as fast as they are? Do they love the game enough to dedicate themselves to getting better? Do they have a true killer instinct? Are they willing to sacrifice individual attention for team success? Can they go to class and take care of business off the field?

None of that comes into play when looking at height, weight, 40-times and strength. Sometimes you just don't know whether a recruit will be the next stud or bust. It's definitely an inexact science.

Everyone wanted LB Daniel Brooks out of a Class 5A high school and ended up at Tennessee. He got kicked out for various issues and finished up at Jackson State. Meanwhile, LB Patrick Willis was a Class 1A kid that barely got an offer from Ole Miss and yet became an All-American and first-round pick.

If Tennessee had it to do all over again, there's no doubt they would take Brooks over Willis because he had all the numbers and just looked like a better prospect. Coaches will take a risk on a big-name prospect any day over a small-school recruit who isn't as big or fast.

[snote]

None of that comes into play when looking at height, weight, 40-times and strength. Sometimes you just don't know whether a recruit will be the next stud or bust. It's definitely an inexact science.

amen, and AMEN..

[Just1More]

_ Outside of a few elite prospects, very few recruits get a quality evaluation from the experts. How does anyone truly know whether one player will be better at the next level? It's almost impossible in most cases.

There are so many things to take into account at the next level. How do they respond to challenges? Are they mentally tough enough to respond to adversity? Do they take coaching in a positive manner or take it personally? Can they compete against players as big, strong as fast as they are? Do they love the game enough to dedicate themselves to getting better? Do they have a true killer instinct? Are they willing to sacrifice individual attention for team success? Can they go to class and take care of business off the field?

None of that comes into play when looking at height, weight, 40-times and strength. Sometimes you just don't know whether a recruit will be the next stud or bust. It's definitely an inexact science.

Everyone wanted LB Daniel Brooks out of a Class 5A high school and ended up at Tennessee. He got kicked out for various issues and finished up at Jackson State. Meanwhile, LB Patrick Willis was a Class 1A kid that barely got an offer from Ole Miss and yet became an All-American and first-round pick.

If Tennessee had it to do all over again, there's no doubt they would take Brooks over Willis because he had all the numbers and just looked like a better prospect. Coaches will take a risk on a big-name prospect any day over a small-school recruit who isn't as big or fast. _

So true. So true. Unfortunately, everyone is forced to default to the properties that can be measured... and like you said... coaches don't catch heat for taking those who post the right "numbers". Personally, I would intentionally select a couple of undersized "warriors" on every team. I believe that just as some players are constantly being identified as a cancer on a team... these warrior types also "infect" the team with great work ethic, attitude and winning chemistry. UL is forced to seek out that great athlete that is a count off in one of the "Rivals" measurable parameters... but in doing so, there is no substitute like a great character and a warrior heart. There are also many other skills in football that can more than compensate for a weight, height, bench press or 40 "number".

I'm never overly excited when people talk about a prospect's "parameters". They sound good, but I want to know whether those who routinely evaluate talent say that they believe this young man is going to "contribute" in a big way to our program. That usually covers the kid's value system, personality, work ethic, character... as well as his posted "numbers". I was told in advance of Tyrell Fenroy coming to UL, that we had more than picked up a fantastic little RB. I was told by St. Charles Catholic fans that we were getting one of the finest young men they had ever been around. Quite an accurate assessment. Both attributes equally contributed to his and our success.