LOUISIANA La. — One prospect who played tight end until he outgrew the position, one who was an all-league pick at tight end and on defense, and another prospect who wanted to play tight end but was forced into a different prep position are the most recent verbal commitments to the University of Louisiana football program.

Defensive end Joe Bradley of Compton (Calif.) College gave Ragin’ Cajun coach Rickey Bustle an oral commitment last Friday, and high school prospects Eric Jones of Westwood High in Austin, Texas, and Rodney Hardaway of Chapel Hill High in Tyler, Texas, gave verbal commitments after this past weekend’s recruiting visits.

Jones and Hardaway are among 15 high school prospects who have committed to the program, with just over a week remaining before the Feb. 4 national signing date. The Cajuns also have nine junior college and transfer players in the recruiting class, six of them enrolled for the spring semester and three more committed for signing day and enrolling in either the summer or fall terms.

Jones (6-4, 235) was recruited as a tight end even though never regularly playing the position at Westwood.

“I started there two years in the spring,” he said, “but they had to move me back every year because of injuries. The coaches at UL saw my scrimmage and 7-on-7 tapes so they knew I could catch.”

Jones ended up starting two years at tackle, earning All-District 14-5A honors twice and earning a spot in the Central Texas All-Star Game this March. Westwood had a 6-5 record under coach Doug Fertsch, a former member of the Cajun staff.

“Coach Fertsch told me a lot of great things about the program,” said Jones, who is academically qualified. “I wasn’t 100 percent sure until I visited this weekend, but I really loved the coaching staff. Once I met them and talked to a lot of people there, got a chance to hang out with the players, I liked it a lot.

“I talked to the quarterbacks, and they said they like throwing to the tight end, so I think I’m going to like the offense.”

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com