Seven New Orleans area high school football players see recruiting stock rise
Nine weeks into the season, athletes from St. Augustine, East St. John, Kennedy, Edna Karr, and John Curtis have secured new Division I offers.
By Ethan Cooper ·
St. Augustine quarterback Jaelle Noble threw five passes for touchdowns and rushed for two more in the Purple Knights' Week 9 victory over Edna Karr. The 6-1, 201-pound junior finished the game with 1,986 passing yards, 28 total touchdowns, and zero interceptions on the season. Colorado extended a Division I offer to Noble following that performance.
The strong showing was part of a wider surge in college interest for local high school athletes. Seven players from the New Orleans area have seen their recruiting profiles improve over the past nine weeks. Game film from fall contests has driven these evaluations, offering recruiters a look at performance under competition rather than just offseason camps.
At St. Augustine, safety Louis Brown started the season as a freshman. He intercepted three passes against Edna Karr, including a 99-yard return for a touchdown in a 52-14 win. The 6-2, 180-pound Brown received offers from Ole Miss, Tulane, Colorado, and Troy after that game. His teammate Lucas Jefferson, a 6-0, 170-pound wide receiver, has also drawn attention. Jefferson leads the Purple Knights with 498 receiving yards on 27 catches and holds offers from Arkansas and Tulane.
East St. John wide receiver Deontae Fleming reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark in Week 9. The 6-0, 170-pound junior is the younger brother of former Tulane player Dontae Fleming. He has received offers from Nicholls State and Grambling State.
Kennedy receiver Rashad Jackson has accumulated more than 800 receiving yards this season. The 6-0, 175-pound junior plays in an offense that includes South Alabama commitment Semaj Lyons. Jackson holds offers from Notre Dame, Kentucky, and Memphis. Edna Karr cornerback Juan Jasmin, a 6-0, 185-pound junior, recorded a pick-six against John Curtis in Week 6. Liberty University extended an offer to Jasmin shortly after that play.
John Curtis safety Jaden Keelen, a 5-10, 195-pound junior rated as a four-star recruit by 247 Sports, has logged 61 tackles and two rushing touchdowns. He added an offer from Oregon this fall to a list that includes Ole Miss, Tennessee, Auburn, Mississippi State, and UCLA.
