by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
RUEBEN OWENS II (El Campo)
Class: 2023
Position: Running Back
Dynamic 2023 Running Back RUEBEN OWENS II talked to LSUODYSSEY.COM about how he feels the LSU skills camp went for him.
Although Rueben committed to the Texas Longhorns back on February 25th, LSU offered Rueben very early in the process, trailing behind only Texas and A&M as far as being there first.....
Joe Burrow was still on campus when Tommie Robinson offered Owens, and while Robinson is at A&M now, LSU found a superb replacement when they hired 3x Super Bowl winner and SEC all-time yards leader Kevin Faulk.
Could Faulk pull Owens LSU's way by his NFL & SEC pedigree, alone?
Or will it take something special to flip Owens from Steve Sarkisian's Texas?
-OWENS II ON THE CAMP OVERALL:
"It was a great experience! I'll be back soon!"
-OWENS II ON LSU'S COACHING STAFF:
"The conversations I had with coaching staff were good, they showed me how I would be used in the offense: (not just at running back but) at Slot, out wide..."
-OWENS II ON LSU'S RECRUITMENT:
"They doing a great job recruiting me."
LONN: Rueben, you've been committed to Texas for nearly 2 years now, has it always been your dream to play for your home state?
REUBEN: "Yes it has!"
LONN: On a scale from 1-10, where would you rank your confidence on your Texas commitment right now?
REUBEN: "6 right now."
LONN: Who are your parents digging so far?
REUBEN: "My Mom (Kristin Kimble) likes Texas and my dad (Rueben Owens I) really don't care, he just wants what's best for me."
RUEBEN OWENS II STATS:
2019:
808 YARDS, 8 TDs
2020:
1,511 YARDS, 140 CARRIES, 22 TDs
114 RECEIVING YARDS, 5 REC., 1 TD
(22.8 yards per catch)
OMARION "O" MILLER (North Caddo)
Class: 2023
Position: WR
Otherworldy 2023 WR OMARION "O" MILLER, a skyscraping speedster out of North Caddo High, demonstrated exactly why Louisiana produces the best wide receivers.
At 6 ft 2 inches tall and 190 lbs, Miller blew up a few DBs through surprising physicality, taking nothing from nobody at the line. Miller is extremely aggressive and no doubt the LSU coaching staff loved it.
Then, on other reps, "O" used his blinding first step (and his slippery second) to dizzy corners into a physical maze of their own making, forcing DBs to cross their feet when trying to keep up with him.....and if you're crossing your feet, you're done.
Yet the real deal arrived when O lept high above one of the more higher ranking cornerbacks from the 2022 class and owned him up top, ripping the ball out of the air with an outrageous statement of desire.
Overwhelmed by what he'd just witnessed, Coach Ed Orgeron walked over to the young man and offered him immediately.
When I heard this unconfirmed story from Julie Boudwin, I asked O about the story.
He confirmed it with a vibrant "Yessir!"
Currently, Omarion is in the middle of his debut campaign for the Louisiana Bootleggers, a high octane 7 on 7 team coached by Tiger Details publisher Jimmy Smith & LSU Tiger DBU Legend Ryan Clark.
Facing off against 'Leggers teammates like Safety Jacoby Mathews & cornerback Latterance Welch will no doubt supply O with valuable reps even before his upcoming junior campaign.
OMARION MILLER STATS:
2020:
807 YARDS, 29 CATCHES, 8 TDs
(27.8 Yards per catch)
DECOLDEST CRAWFORD (Green Oaks)
Class: 2022
Position: WR
I was texted by 34 people the second Crawford's reps hit the wire....
"Legit, gonna be Chase Part II..." read one.....
"...what a scary athlete" came another....
"the best WR I saw this weekend" boasted a scout....
"...the top WR I've seen in person from this class" said one more from a distinguished analyst.
"Is he Justin? Ja'Marr? Or more like Terrace?" A buddy asked me.
My response?
HE'S JUST DA COLDEST WR ON THE FIELD!!!
After Sunday's elite showing, DeColdest Crawford finally captured some of the attention he's long deserved, although let's be honest....it's only just now 2022's turn....Crawford wasn't being passed over...he was just too young, it just wasn't his time, yet.
Well....his time arrived on Sunday:
Before, other Louisiana receivers garnered the bulk of 247 or Rivals' attention, but guys like Brian Thomas Jr, Chris Hilton Jr or Jack Bech are Tigers now....and that means the microscope zooms in up close on Crawford.
Already holding offers from USC, Penn State, Ole Miss, Louisville, or Arizona State among others, Crawford's star will meteorically rise over the next few weeks as his buoyant footage from Sunday makes the rounds.
Regardless of outside competition for his signature, LSU offered DeColdest far back on October 26th, 2019....Mickey Joseph made the receiver a priority before any other top 5 powerhouse.
Only the Ragin Cajuns, Southern Miss, Illinois State or Washington State offered the Green Oaks high-riser before LSU made their jump:
Likewise, DeColdest sided with loyalty and committed to the Tigers 2 days later.
Remaining a hard commit ever since that day, I don't expect Crawford's essential talents to depart the program....still, the young man will now be in demand more than ever....
Could UGA's reptilian recruiting illegalities or Alabama's faceless purge turn his head away from the Tigers?
Crawford going anywhere else really would prove to be the shock of LSU's 2022 class.
WRs Coach Mickey Joseph has himself a very firm commit here...and following his strong junior year, now solidified by his showstopping performance at the Skills Camp, Crawford looks to be an early favorite to challenge Shazz Preston for the title of "#1 receiver of the 2022 class".
ON BEING THE #1 WR OF THE CLASS:
"I think I should be ranked higher."
ON WHO HE FACED 1 V 1:
"Lt (LSU commit Laterrance Welch), Scott (LSU commit Marcus Scott), a bunch more."
DECOLDEST CRAWFORD STATS:
2018:
210 YARDS, 19 CATCHES, 3 TDs
2019:
990 YARDS, 50 CATCHES, 8 TDs
2020:
813 YARDS, 50 CATCHES, 6 TDs
1 ON 1 REPS
(FILMED BY ANTHONY RHODES JR, SUBSCRIBE TO HIS CHANNEL)
by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
Copyright 2021 Uninterrupted Writings Inc
SHOUTOUTS: Thank you to all these young men, from 2022, 2023 and even those 2024 sophomores, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE & YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR ARTICLES!!!!
I am extremely grateful to you all!
INDIVIDUAL SHOUTOUTS: DON CANNON,
JIMMY D., CORY HUFF JR, ADIESEL