Signing Day at Landry Walker High School!

Signing Day at Landry Walker High School!

by Jace LeJeune

What a day for Louisiana High School football yesterday as some of the best football players signed their letter of intent to the college of their choice. There are so many talented players in the entire state of Louisiana, and it is great that they are recognized for not only what they do on the football field, but in the classroom as well. For National Signing Day, Louisiana Football Magazine covered four different schools. Two days ago, we covered Parkview Baptist and Woodlawn (Shreveport). Yesterday, we covered Comeaux High School. The final school that we covered this National Signing Day is Landry Walker High School. What a season for the Chargin’ Bucs! The team won their first state championship since combining L.B. Landry and O.P. Walker in 2013. In only four years, the Chargin’ Bucs made it all the way to the Superdome. This is the first senior class for the newly named Landry Walker High School and look at the amazing things that this class has accomplished. At the end of the season, Landry Walker was arguably one of the best teams in the entire state along with Edna Karr and Evangel Christian. This senior group is a very talented group of football players and is another example of how talented the football teams are in the New Orleans area. Six football players have signed with a college to play at the next level. Four were able to sign at Landry Walker. Those players are DE/OLB Kenneth Harton, LB Elvia Payton, RB Jakobe Walker, and WR Travis Jordan. The school also honored early enrollees QB Keytaon Thompson and RB Tevin Bush. Coach Emmanuel Powell also recognized former Landry Walker and current Kansas Freshman All-American DB Mike Lee. Powell talked about the first senior class that spent all four years at Landry Walker and what these guys mean to the program. The players and the schools that they signed with are at the bottom:

 

QB Keytaon Thompson (6’4, 210)

• Signed with Mississippi State.
• Louisiana Mr. Football’s very own Keytaon Thompson had himself one of the best single seasons in Louisiana High School football history. He had over 5,242 total yards and 70 total touchdowns this season, which is incredible. Not to mention that he also led the Chargin’ Bucs to their first state championship. Dan Mullen is getting himself another great quarterback from this state just like former Haughton, Mississippi State, and current Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.
• Coach Powell: “Keytaon Thompson is our leader this year. Absolutely, no doubt. Whatever he went, we went. He played off the charts this season and was a big reason why we won the state championship this year. Keytaon won every award that you possibly can win. He is already at Mississippi State and is going to do some great things there.”

 

 

 

RB Tevin Bush (5’6, 170)

• Signed with West Virginia
• Keytaon Thompson is the guy that everybody talks about and deservingly so, but don’t forget his sidekick Tevin Bush, who is one of the best athletes in the state. He is not big, but he is quick and fast. Over his career, he had over 2,500 yards and 29 touchdowns. Bush didn’t necessarily touch the ball over 20 times a game like other running backs, but whenever he had the ball in his hands, defenses had to watch out!
• Coach Powell: “Tevin Bush is lightning in a bottle. He was a big time playmaker for us. Tevin had some other offers, but he always stuck with West Virginia. He is going to do a lot of great things over there.”

 

LB Elvia Payton (6’1, 210)

• Signed with Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi
• The Chargin’ Bucs were not just an offensive team this season, even though that was what this team was known for. In order to win a state championship, the defense must make plays and have strong leaders. Elvia Payton was the defensive leader at that side of the football. He is another one of those guys that can be a hybrid at linebacker and safety. Payton is an emotional leader as well as a good football player. Jackson State is getting themselves a good football player.
• Coach Powell: “Elvia Payton was an outstanding defensive leader for us. He is also an outstanding player as well as a student-athlete. At 6’1, 210, he played linebacker for us and made a lot of plays. He will be missed in our program.”

DE/OLB Kenneth Harton (6’2, 230)

• Signed with Hutchinson Junior College in Hutchinson, Kansas
• Kenneth Harton is another talented defensive player on this team. At 6’2, 230, he has the size and the physicality to play linebacker. Not only is he big, but can run down a lot of offensive players as well. Harton is a versatile player who can play in space and rush the passer.
• Coach Powell: “Kenneth Harton is a big sized kid at 6’2, 230. His speed and size makes it difficult for offensive linemen to get a good block on him at outside linebacker. He is a very talented player that is only going to get better.”

RB Jakobe Walker (6’0, 180)

• Signed with Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama
• Whenever Tevin Bush or Keytaon Thompson was not  running the ball, Jakobe Walker was carrying the load. He was another threat in the very explosive offense for the Chargin’ Bucs. Off the field, Walker is a really good student athlete who works hard in the classroom and plays baseball when the football season is over.
• Coach Powell: “Jakobe is a great student in the classroom. He made a 4.1 GPA which is one of the tops in the entire senior class. Jakobe is also a great athlete as he is planning to play both football and baseball for Tuskegee University. I wish the very best of luck to him.”

WR Travis Jordan (6’3, 198)

• Signed with Kansas
• WR Travis Jordan was academically ineligible this season, but that did not let that get him down. The former receiver for John Ehret did not play a down for the Bucs this year, but Coach Powell loved how he worked in the classroom to be eligible to play in college. Jordan has all the tools to be a wide receiver and could be a really good one at Kansas.
• Coach Powell: “Travis Jordan came to us as a transfer. He was ineligible to play for us this season but he worked on his academics really hard this school year. Travis has really good work ethic and commitment to his studies. I am really proud of him.”

We also want to recognize WR Lamont Berzat,who played football at Landry Walker, but is signing with the University of New Orleans to pursue his basketball career.

Coach Powell also recognized Kansas DB Mike Lee, who could have played on the state championship team this season, but started at Kansas where he was an early enrollee and was named Freshman All-American. Lee had finished with 77 tackles, 1.5 for loss, two forced fumbles, and an interception.