Louisiana Football Magazine 2026 Class 4A Football Preview (Written by Lee Brecheen)

District 9

Abramson Commodores

Head Coach:Gil Chartian(2^nd year)

2025 Record:6-4

2025 Playoffs:1^st Round lost to Haynes Academy.

Team Outlook: “The Defense will be very young. We don’t have any seniors in 2026. The experienced Offensive Line will be our strength going into the season,” said coach Chartian.

The football team will lean on the experience of the big Offensive Line, led by 3-year starter OT/OG/DT Jayden Clark 6'4" 280 pounds, SR; OT/DT Eric Brack 6'3" 285 pounds, 3-year starter; OL Ernest Perkins 6'4" 240 pounds; and OL Jordan Lucien 6'2" 245 pounds. The Offense will return starting QB Charles Henry 6'0" 160 pounds, 2nd-year starter; QB Mynue Zeno 5'10" 145 pounds; RB Jamari Corbitt 5'9" 170 pounds; RB/LB Jacobi Corbitt 5'10" 165 pounds; WR Terrill Johnson 5'10" 145 pounds; and newcomer RB/LB Jayden Myers 6'2" 200 pounds.

The Defense, though young, returns some players with potential, led by Safety Purnell Russell 6'0" 150 pounds; DE/OLB Darnell Norwood 6'5" 200 pounds; DT Marcus Evans 6'0" 270 pounds; SS Wesley Norwood 5'10" 155 pounds; DE Reginald Gordon 5'10" 220 pounds; LB Landon Russell 6'0" 205 pounds; LB Malcolm Riley 6'0" 205 pounds; CB Keric Watson 5'10" 145 pounds, newcomer; Safety Alex Stevenson 5'10" 140 pounds, new starter; and new starter Ameir Lumar 5'8" 135 pounds.

Special Teams starting Kicker and Punter will be Mynue Zeno 5'10" 145 pounds, and Long Snapper will be Jayden McGinnis 6'2" 155 pounds, new starter.

Eleanor McMain Mustangs

Head Coach:Darian Hays(1^st year)

2025 Record:0-10

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Belle Chasse Hs(Away), Week 2 Young Audience HS(Away), Week 3 Riverdale HS(Away), Week 4 South Plaquemines HS(Home), Week 5 Sarah Reed HS(Away), Week 7 Acadiana Renaissance HS(Away).

Team Outlook: “Our Motto as a program in 2026 will be: Stick Together and Never Surrender,” said coach Hays. “Teach kids to understand we go as a unit and always play hard and compete.” “McMain has a strong Academic reputation, we need to blend those two together. Sports/Academics the experience and get the community involved to be organized as a school that has sports programs already competing. Track making it to State in 2026 for the 1^st time in many years and Basketball being competitive and now making football the same way.”

The program will have a battle through the Summer for the starting QB job between two players: Khali Burton 6'3" 189 pounds, played a lot in 2025; and QB Elijah Howard, who also played and got reps in 2025 at 5'9" 170 pounds. More players to watch are CB/WR Michael Tobias 5'11" 175 pounds, 4.45 speed in the forty; FS Tyronne Richardson 6'1" 165 pounds; WR/CB Jaylin Williams 5'10" 170 pounds, 4.45 speed; WR Demetrius Fernandez 6'2" 190 pounds, a late bloomer with a talented skill set; WR/DB Diego James 5'11" 165 pounds; RB Verdell Harris 5'11" 180 pounds; WR/DB Landon Martin 5'11" 180 pounds; CB Daylon Mitchell 5'10" 170 pounds; DE Hayden Wallace 6'4" 235 pounds; OL/DL Purnell Brown 6'0" 245 pounds; LB Rayshaad Tappo 5'10" 185 pounds; LB Moises Meija 6'1" 205 pounds, new starter; OL Jamal Watts 5'11" 255 pounds; DT Zimroni Francois 6'2" 305 pounds; OLB/DE Cory'n Haywood 6'1" 215 pounds; and WR Jayden Daggs.

Special Teams jobs at Kicker, Punter, and Long Snapper are to be won in the Fall.

‍

John F. Kennedy Leopards

Head Coach: Lynarise Elpeage(7^th year)

2025 Record:7-5

2025 Playoffs: 2^nd Round beat Douglass HS and 3^rd Round lost to Madison Prep HS.

Signees Colleges: DE Jace Briggs,OL Kylee Green, CB/SS Devin Duplessis(Southern U), RB Kenneth Chelsea, LB Elijah Carter, FS Anthony Augustine, OL Michael Youngblood, DB Derill Valdery, LB/K Dominick Ruth, DE Aidan Davis

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Riverside HS(Home), Week 2 H.L Bourgeois HS(Away), Week 3 St. Amant HS(Away), Week 4 Landry HS(Away), Week 5 Salmen HS(Home)

Team Outlook: “Our slogan for this year will be: All IN,” said coach Elpeage. “We will give it everything we have in 2026.” “We merged with Douglass High School and that will give us some depth getting some of those players to be a part of our program.”

This is a program known for producing college prospect Wide Receivers, and this year the program has as many as 8 players that will rotate in, led by SR Semaj Lyons 6'0" 197 pounds, one of the best players in Louisiana I've seen play. You also have WR Rashad Jackson 5'11" 160 pounds; WR Juelz Duhon 6'4" 195 pounds; WR Ronald Cash 6'0" 168 pounds, another DI player; WR Jaylon Morgan 5'8" 155 pounds with 4.4 speed in the forty; WR Branden Boles 6'2" 185 pounds; WR Howard Stewart 5'11" 170 pounds; and WR Lamarcus Cockerham 5'9" 150 pounds. The run game will have a group rotating in: RB Jaylon Glapion 5'8" 160 pounds; RB Daniel Smith 5'9" 180 pounds; and newcomer Xen Tate 5'8" 185 pounds, 4.45 speed. Athletic QB Dorrien Dunham 5'8" 165 pounds returns in 2026 after doing a great job in 2025. The Offensive Line will be young overall, but there will be some talent overall, led by OL/OC Tajh Jones 5'9" 180 pounds, warrior for his size; newcomer Malachi Cureaux 6'2" 270 pounds, SR; OL Kean Ellioe 6'0" 245 pounds; OL Ty Berfect 5'7" 230 pounds; OT Jhayce Smith 6'3" 255 pounds; and OT Korey Welch 6'0" 250 pounds, battling for a spot.

The Defense will return one of the best Secondaries in the District, led by CB Keith Burras 5'11" 170 pounds with 4.5 speed, 3-year starter; Safety/CB Ronald Gardett 5'11" 182 pounds, 4.45 speed; Safety Khylin Wilson 6'0" 175 pounds, had a great Spring; CB Broderick Turner 6'1" 170 pounds, 4.5 speed, hitter, new starter; Bobby Spears 5'8" 155 pounds, new starter; and rotating in CB Damian Clark 5'10" 165 pounds and Jamond Clark 5'9" 150 pounds. The front seven will be led by the talented DE Grayson Powell 6'1" 246 pounds with 4.89 speed in the forty. Also watch these players: DT Anthony Parker 5'9" 240 pounds; LB Dillion Holliday 5'10" 190 pounds; DT Gregory Glapion 5'11" 245 pounds; and new starter DE Ferdinand Snyder 6'1" 210 pounds. These kids are battling for a starting spot or rotation: DE Jayden Martin 5'11" 220 pounds; DT De'velle Jenkins 5'11" 230 pounds; DT Keenan Andoh 5'11" 235 pounds; Safety Jacoby Bass 5'7" 150 pounds; and OLB Braylon Antoine 5'10" 175 pounds, 4.6 speed in the forty.

Special Teams Kicker and Punter spots are both open after Spring, and there will be competition in the Fall.

‍

George Washington Carver Rams

Head Coach: Louis Figueroa Jr(3^rd year)

2025 Record: 8-3

2025 Playoffs: 1^st Round beat Livingston HS and 2^nd Round lost to Vanderbilt Catholic HS.

2025 Players Signed Colleges: Athlete Deuce Henry(Southern U), and TE/LB Chesney Sadler(Milfred Prep School)

2026  Non District Games: Week 1 Landry HS(Home), Week 2 Pensacola Catholic HS(Away), Week 3 Mandeville HS(Away), and Week 4 Sarah T Reed(Home).

Team Outlook: “Carver High School won more than 7 games for the 1^st time since the 2026 team that I was a part of the 1^st time as assistant coach,” said coach Figueroa Jr.” “We had a good year on Offense in 2025 with over 2,000 yards passing,1,100 yards rushing and on Defense 26 Sacks and 15 interceptions.” “We have great kids but what we don’t have is a big interior Offensive & Defensive Line to compete with some of the bigger teams in our classification.”

The Rams return two of the best players in the District in QB Leonard Watson 6'6" 185 pounds and WR/RB/Athlete Freddie Barra 6'0" 184 pounds, 4.4 speed. Both Barra and Watson made All-District in 2025, and both will be playing college football one day somewhere. More players to keep an eye on are RB Jeremy Mick 5'6" 170 pounds; DB Montrell Randolph Jr. 5'9" 155 pounds; DB Torren Washington 5'10" 164 pounds; TE/QB/Athlete Rich Johnson III 6'3" 215 pounds; OL Kenneth Johnson 6'2" 220 pounds; DB Denim Duplessis 6'0" 165 pounds; DB Ken'Ryn Johnson 5'10" 170 pounds; Athlete Michael Cobbins 6'0" 185 pounds; LB Tyreak Lewis 5'10" 195 pounds; WR Jakyren Smith 6'4" 181 pounds; OL Cortez Anderson 5'10" 260 pounds; OL Omairon Averhoff 6'2" 240 pounds; LB Jordan Roy 5'10" 205 pounds; and rotating in WR Jon Anthony Stix 5'9" 155 pounds.

Special Teams, the Kicking and Punting jobs will be open competition in the Fall between a few kids.

‍

McDonogh #35 Roneagles

Head Coach:Nick Foster(1^st year)

2025 Record:7-4.District Record 4-0

2026 Playoffs:1^st Round lost to Jesuit HS

Signees Colleges: WR Heij Jackson(Cincinnati), DB Justin Ross(Virginia), WR/DB Jakai Anderson(SMU).

Team Outlook: For the 1^st time in 6 years McDonogh 35 High School has a new head football coach in Nick Foster. I was able to see the team play in 2025 and they should return a few starters on both sides of the football. Most of the team in 2025 was very young.

After several attempts I wasn't successful in getting in touch with Head Coach Foster to do the team preview so I mentioned the players I saw coming back that were starters in 2025. 

Here are some players to watch in 2026: QB/Athlete Deddrick Peters; OL/DL Wyjay Smith; LB Cameron Banks; LB Errick Martin; CB/SS Randon Robinson; LB Bryant Reuben; OL Jhiml Anderson; DB Chris Cloudie; WR/DB Alijah Jackson; LB/DE Daryl Gullium; DB/WR Jaden Martin; WR Jarvis Davis; QB Kevin Clausell; WR Jaquan Green; and OL Jaden Smith. 

‍

‍

© 2026 Lee Brecheen Louisiana Football Magazine. All rights reserved. The content above is the intellectual property of Lee Brecheen and Louisiana Football Magazine. Permission is granted for personal, non-commercial purposes. Any reproduction, redistribution, publication, or use of this material for professional, commercial, media, or promotional purposes without prior written permission from Lee Brecheen is strictly prohibited.