In this week of the UL football positional previews we take a look at the Cajuns cornerbacks and safeties ahead of the fall.
After reviewing Louisiana football’s skilled positions on offense, it’s time to turn to the other side of the ball, starting with the Ragin’ Cajuns secondary.
Last season, the defensive backs room was loaded with talent headlined by returning safety Tyree Skipper and now Baltimore Ravens cornerback Keyon Martin. Along with the departure of Martin, the Cajuns graduated safety Amir McDaniel and lost cornerback Justin Agu to the transfer portal, leaving them with some holes to fill ahead of this fall.
Over the next few weeks, the Daily Advertiser will run positional previews asking two questions related to a given position as the Cajuns prepare for the fall. These will lead up into SBC media days, with the Cajuns scheduled to appear on July 22 in New Orleans.
Here's a look at the UL’s cornerbacks and safeties entering 2025.
Have the Cajuns reloaded their secondary room from last season?
The next-man-up mentality was a common refrain in Michael Desormeaux and his staff’s messaging as they hit the recruiting trail this past offseason to replace and reload their secondary. Two of the Cajuns' biggest pickups defensively are in the cornerback room in Curly Reed III from Washington and Trae Tomlinson from Richmond.
Tomlinson, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, was a staple in the Spiders' secondary playing as a true freshman and working his way into a starter role by his sophomore season. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, native recorded 47 total tackles and an interception that season and followed that up with 28 total tackles and seven pass breakups last season.
He’ll be bringing a ton of experience to the Cajuns secondary while Reed and other incoming freshmen such as cornerbacks Cam Riley and Kevin Malone, bring potential. At Washington, the 6-foot-1 and 191-pound Reed saw minimal action as a freshman but came in as a four-star prospect. Riley and Malone are both three-star cornerbacks as well in the Class of 2024 with Riley ranked as the No. 43 overall player in Louisiana and Malone the No. 83-ranked player in Alabama.
Adding these new faces alongside some key returners such as safeties Kody Jackson, who made three interceptions and 22 tackles last season, and Skipper, will give the Cajuns secondary a chance to be just as good this season.
Will the Cajuns send another cornerback/safety to the NFL this year?
While no Cajun cornerback or safety was drafted in the NFL, Martin was the lone cornerback to land an undrafted free agent contract with Ravens. This season, the Cajuns have at least two names in their secondary who can could make it to the NFL in Skipper and Tomlinson.
Out of UL’s returners in the secondary, Skipper was the leading tackler, recording 30 solo tackles and 11 tackle assists in only nine games started. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound fifth-year senior uses all of his size and was a key contributor in the Cajuns holding opponents to 194.2 yards passing per game.
Looking to make an immediate impact will be Tomlinson, as the competition is thick in the Sun Belt Conference, and the Cajuns have big-time matchups on the docket this season. If he can produce for the Cajuns, he can earn an opportunity in the NFL.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and LSU men's basketball for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: UL football positional previews: How the secondary room is shaping up
Category: General Sports
