'14 LA RB Leonard Fournette (LSU Verbal)

[BeauBenken]

Running Back
New Orleans, LA
St. Augustine

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 225

Rankings:
247: (#1 RB - #4 Overall)
Rivals:
ESPN:
Scout: (#1 RB)

Offers:

Notre Dame
Alabama
Florida
Florida State
Georgia Tech
LSU
Michigan
Nebraska
SMU
Tennessee
Texas
Texas A&M
West Virginia

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[BeauBenken]

Army Bowl: Thursday Notebook

I’ll leave you with some news I picked up today that has nothing to do with the Army All-American game. I was talking to DeCarlos Holmes, one of the coaches at St. Augustine (Louisiana). Holmes of course coaches 2014 running back Leonard Fournette. If you’re unfamiliar with Fournette, remove the Singletary from the Secretariat gene pool and add Hershel Walker. He’s the top back in the nation in what appears to be a loaded class.

I was talking to Holmes for Texas reasons, but he told me that Notre Dame has been recruiting Fournette very hard of late. Here, I’ll let him tell it:

“You know we’re a Catholic school and I think that kind of appeals to Leonard,” said Holmes. “That and of course they’re back on top. He’s aware of who Notre Dame is with the history of the school.”

It’s the knee jerk reaction in my fair state to discount the chances of landing any kid from Da Boot because of LSU’s kung fu grip on in-state prospects, but that’s not necessarily the case here.

In Holmes, Fournette has a coach that will shoot him straight and doesn’t just blindly default his top players to LSU. In fact, he’s been sort of black-balled in Louisiana for “allowing” Torshiro Davis to leave his home state for Texas.

 

[RuntheBall]

I could swear he had another (older) thread. I was looking to add that piece above to it but somehow couldn't scroll to the bottom/ post anything. Maybe this is why you reposted this. Not sure.

Anyway encouraging sign, though he is still a huge longshot.

 

[BeauBenken]

I could swear he had another (older) thread. I was looking to add that piece above to it but somehow couldn't scroll to the bottom/ post anything. Maybe this is why you reposted this. Not sure.

Anyway encouraging sign, though he is still a huge longshot.

Yes, the old thread was broken so I made a new one.

This kid is a monster talent. And we're catching like wildfire with the recruits.

 

[AdmiralBackhand]

Interesting.. just keep winning.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Watched his tape again, he just makes everything look so easy and effortless.

 

[Ironman8]

Yes, the old thread was broken so I made a new one.

This kid is a monster talent. And we're catching like wildfire with the recruits.

The mods at all the pay sites have always agreed on one thing - when ND wins, recruiting becomes incredibly easy (see: fun) for the Irish.

 

[BeauBenken]

Size and speed reminds me of Adrian Peterson.

 

[Luckylucci]

I really enjoyed reading that, thanks for posting. Very positive news from what u would think is an unbiased opinion.

 

[cyrano]

This is my favorite RB highlight film since Keith Marshall last year. This kid is built and he can fly.

 

[Ricochet]

Size and speed reminds me of Adrian Peterson.

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!

He is without question the best RB recruit since All Day Adrian Peterson. As good as Bryant is and he is very good, great even but like Jaylon at OLB he's Fournette is a once in a generation talent.

 

[NOLAIrish]

The fact the he goes to St. Aug is a mixed blessing for Notre Dame. The Catholic thing weighs in our favor and St. Aug is known for turning out grads who -- Tyrann Mathieu excluded -- understand the value of an education. He should meet admissions standards at ND (yes, even the foreign language requirement). However, St. Aug grads face community pressures that would tend to keep them more local.

I have no idea what our chances are with him. Generally, though, Gulf South programs are going to land the overwhelming majority of St. Aug grads.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Should we start the prayer thread now?

 

[Grahambo]

The fact the he goes to St. Aug is a mixed blessing for Notre Dame. The Catholic thing weighs in our favor and St. Aug is known for turning out grads who -- Tyrann Mathieu excluded -- understand the value of an education. He should meet admissions standards at ND (yes, even the foreign language requirement). However, St. Aug grads face community pressures that would tend to keep them more local.

I have no idea what our chances are with him. Generally, though, Gulf South programs are going to land the overwhelming majority of St. Aug grads.

While I'll temper my expectations for now, hopefully he'll stand for himself and allow himself the chance to get away.

 

[Grahambo]

Should we start the prayer thread now?

Never too early especially for arguably the top recruit.

 

[RDU Irish]

So is it Four-net or is it Four-neigh?

Cheerleader signs for his visit:

Geaux Irish!

 

[BleedBlueGold]

If this year's class doesn't make my head explode, 2014 will.

Just win baby!

 

[Me2SouthBend]

ND will be loaded at tailback. Would they take him?

 

[jimmymac]

ND will be loaded at tailback. Would they take him?

Lol yes

 

[Redbar]

The NOLA NFL Prep 100 top performer, footwork looked great, caught the ball well in 7 on 7, even played safety and linebacker. Plans on going to some junior days, nothing solidified looking at going to TAMU, LSU, Bama, and maybe Texas' junior days.

One of these days we are going to grab a player out of Louisiana. This one would be nice.

 

[GBdomer]

Have we ever? I can't remember the last time we even recruited someone from the Bayou.

 

[Redbar]

Have we ever? I can't remember the last time we even recruited someone from the Bayou.

Last big time player that I remember was Mike Stonebreaker, and that was a long time ago.

 

[Irishnuke]

Have we ever? I can't remember the last time we even recruited someone from the Bayou.

Ever watch Swamp People? There's a reason ND doesn't get many recruits from the bayou.

 

[NOLAIrish]

Have we ever? I can't remember the last time we even recruited someone from the Bayou.

Michael Stonebreaker played at John Curtis in River Ridge (a New Orleans suburb). Donald Dykes was from Independence, LA.

Prospects from Curtis, Isidore Newman (where the Mannings went) and the Catholic League schools would be the most likely to both qualify for and be interested in Notre Dame. Fournette goes to a Catholic League school that hasn't historically placed many students at LSU. He's far from a lock there, so we may be able to get into the picture. Based on history, though, he's gotta be considered likely to wind up at an SEC school.

I'd be interested to see what the numbers are on Louisiana recruits leaving the region versus the other Southern states. My bet -- for cultural reasons unique to southern Louisiana -- is that it's harder to pull kids from the southern half of the state out of the region than from any other state in the South.

 

[Buster Bluth]

What coach is responsible for recruiting Louisiana?

 

[GBdomer]

What coach is responsible for recruiting Louisiana?

Cooks? I honestly dont remember last time we were in that area.

 

[dublinirish]

Arnaz Battle?

 

[Fbolt]

The mods at all the pay sites have always agreed on one thing - when ND wins, recruiting becomes incredibly easy (see: fun) for the Irish.

Does not take a mod to come to that conclusion.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Where was Benny Gilbeaux from?

 

[NOLAIrish]

Where was Benny Gilbeaux from?

He and his teammate, Casey Robin, were from Louisiana.