Quiet as kept, Louisiana has its share of prolific passers that can either hurt you with their arms or their legs.
The quarterbacks from the Class of 2026 have many commitments, like St. Thomas More senior Cole Bergeron (Virginia Tech), while the 2027 class could be a special one led by Dunham junior Elijah Haven, one of the top prospects from 2027 in the nation.
Here is a look at The Sporting News’ top 25 returning quarterbacks in Louisiana in alphabetical order. School committed to is in parentheses.
Top 25 quarterbacks to watch in Louisiana for the 2025 season
Brody Anderson, Westlake, Jr.
Height, Weight: 6-3, 200
Anderson is one of the top quarterbacks in the Lake Charles area and made a leap as a sophomore with 2,161 yards and 24 touchdowns, carrying the Rams to the regional round. Anderson possesses a big arm and is looking to make even more of a leap as a junior this season.
Cooper Babin, St. Amant, Sr.
Height, Weight: 6-0, 175
An honorable mention on the Louisiana Football Coaches Association’s Class 5A All-State team, Babin led the Gators to a share of the District 5-5A title and a first-round home game. Babin passed for 1,641 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also has scrambling ability with 383 yards and seven touchdowns rushing.
Grant Barbera, E.D. White, Sr.
Height, Weight: 6-1, 185
Barbera is one of the Cardinals’ top players, and he showed that in last year’s LHSAA Prep Classic, earning Most Outstanding Player in their first title game appearance since 1981. Barbera accounted for 1,718 yards and 25 touchdowns in his first year as E.D. White’s quarterback.
Cole Bergeron, St. Thomas More, Sr. (Virginia Tech)
Height, Weight: 6-4, 210
St. Thomas More has been a cradle of quarterbacks over the last decade, and Bergeron comes in as its latest prized signal-caller. A three-star prospect and the No. 14 prospect in the state, Bergeron committed to Virginia Tech Thursday, choosing the Hokies over schools such as Colorado.
I’m home! Go Hokies🦃🦃@CoachPryVT @Coachcrist1 @CoachPMonty @HokiesFB pic.twitter.com/kgORucaCnD
— Cole J Bergeron (@ColeJBergeron1) August 7, 2025
Jerry Bottley IV, Southern Lab, Sr. (Delaware St.)
Height, Weight: 6-2, 180
A dual-threat quarterback for the Kittens, Bottley can hurt you with his arm and his feet. Last season, Bottley accounted for 3,236 yards and 35 touchdowns, while being careful with the football with just six interceptions. A state champion in the 4x400, Bottley has track speed. It is only fitting that he recently committed to Delaware State, which is coached by former Super Bowl champion and speedster DeSean Jackson.
Jacob Crain, Franklinton, Sr.
Height, Weight: 6-1, 180
Crain took a big leap as a junior and that culminated with the Demons going from 3-7 and no playoff berth in 2023 to a 12-2 record, the No. 1 seed in Division II non-select and a trip to the LHSAA Prep Classic. Crain threw for 2,476 yards, 24 touchdowns and just four interceptions, while adding nine rushing touchdowns.
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Luke Delafield, North DeSoto, Sr. (Northwestern St.)
Height, Weight: 6-1, 175
Current Griffins coach Dennis Dunn has taught many a quarterback, from Josh Booty and Brock Berlin during Evangel’s heyday to Ben McLaughlin during his time at Louisiana College (now Louisiana Christian). Delafield is continuing that tradition and is coming off a strong junior campaign where he passed for 2,691 yards and 25 touchdowns without his main receiver for most of the season.
Already with 101 touchdowns for his career, the Northwestern State commit is within reach of 10,000 yards with 8,424 to his name.
Dezyrian Ellis, Franklin Parish, Sr. (LSU)
Height, Weight: 6-3, 180
While Ellis will likely be a defensive back in college, he has been a superb quarterback for the Patriots, leading them to the Division II non-select quarterfinals. Ellis reached the 2,000-yard passing mark for the second straight season last year but added more scrambling to his game with 827 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
Jokoby Farria, Holy Cross, Sr. (Southeastern Louisiana)
Height, Weight: 6-3, 190
Previously enrolled at St. Augustine, Farria has had to wait his turn to show what he can do on the football field and run his own offense. The time has come as he hopes to lead Holy Cross back into the playoffs and a competitive season in the Catholic League.
Farria has already committed to Southeastern Louisiana of the Southland Conference and runs a 4.54 40-yard dash as a former receiver.
Jackson Fields, Destrehan, Sr. (Incarnate Word)
Height, Weight: 6-2, 200
A leg injury kept Fields out for four games last season and hurt the Wildcats’ chances of returning to the Dome, but he is back and looking to make up for lost time this year. An Incarnate Word commitment, Fields is just a winner whenever he steps out on the field.
In his two years as Destrehan’s starter, Fields is 19-3 with 4,190 yards and 52 touchdowns.
Baylor Graves, Catholic-Baton Rouge, Sr.
Height, Weight: 6-0, 185
Like St. Thomas More above, Catholic-Baton Rouge has produced its share of top quarterbacks over the years. Graves is the next one to assume those responsibilities. Graves set a school record with 371 passing yards in a game last season and closed the year with 1,395 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Elijah Haven, Dunham, Jr.
Height, Weight: 6-5, 215
The 2027 quarterback class is a special one in Louisiana, and Haven not only tops the list as the top prospect in Louisiana but also the top prospect in the nation. In two seasons, Haven has accounted for 6,894 yards and 103 touchdowns as a dual-threat quarterback, while being careful with the ball, with only 10 interceptions.
A big and athletic prospect, Haven has offers from Alabama, Georgia and LSU.
Peyton “Pop” Houston, Evangel, Jr.
Height, Weight: 5-11, 198
Anytime you throw for a national record of 817 yards in a game, you deserve to make this list.
Houston finished the 2024 season with a state-high 4,480 yards and 38 touchdowns through the air and added 690 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Houston already has Power 4 offers from blueblood programs Notre Dame, USC and Michigan.
Ju’Juan Jackson, St. James, So.
Height, Weight: 6-3, 205
As a freshman, Jackson was just shy of leading the Wildcats to a state title in his first try, but that experience will only help him going forward. Jackson went 159-for-229 while amassing 2,033 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, and the sky is the limit for the rising sophomore.
John Johnson, Edna Karr, Sr. (Liberty)
Height, Weight: 5-10, 170
After last season’s 53-8 victory over Alexandria in the Division I select championship game, many people believe that Karr is poised to repeat when the confetti comes down this December. Johnson is a big reason why the Cougars enter the preseason polls as the top team in the state after a season of accounting for 4,301 yards and 50 touchdowns.
In the championship game, Johnson had 358 total yards and five touchdowns en route to Most Outstanding Player honors.
MORE: The Sporting News 2025 National High School Football Top 25
Jack Landry, Erath, Sr.
Height, Weight: 6-3, 190
A strong-armed outfielder on the baseball diamond, Landry is just as big a playmaker on the gridiron. The District 5-3A offensive MVP helped guide the Bobcats to the Division III non-select regionals last season and hopes to have a better outcome this year.
Roderick Parker, South Plaquemines, Sr.
Height, Weight: 5-8, 187
Parker is another experienced starter to make this list as he enters his fourth season as the Hurricanes’ starting quarterback. Parker helped South Plaquemines win its first state title since going back-to-back in 2007-2008 by passing for 1,752 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also added 402 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
Bryce Restovich, Loyola, Jr.
Height, Weight: 6-2, 180
The second Class of 2027 quarterback from the Shreveport-Bossier area to make this list, Restovich can spin the ball very well and is coming off a season where he passed for 2,342 yards and a school-record 31 touchdowns for a high-flying Loyola offense. Restovich led the Flyers to at least 50 in four games last season, including a wild 63-44 win in the first round of the Division II select playoffs against Sophie B. Wright.
MORE: Top 20 North Texas returning quarterbacks for 2025 season
Parker Robinson, Neville, Jr.
Height, Weight: 6-2, 195
Making the move from Class 1A to Class 5A last season, all Robinson did was lead the Tigers to an 11-2 record and a game shy of the LHSAA Prep Classic in their return to the biggest classification in Louisiana. Robinson has the tools to make himself a name in the state’s deep pool of 2027 quarterbacks, passing for 2,225 yards and 18 touchdowns last year.
Karsen Sellers, Alexandria, Jr.
Height, Weight: 6-2, 180
Sellers was a part of history last season, leading the Trojans to their second Prep Classic in just his first year as a starter. Despite splitting time at the position last year, Sellers passed for 1,727 yards and 27 touchdowns.
With fellow junior quarterback Max Gassiott transferring to Central of Baton Rouge, Sellers will have the reins of the ASH offense all by himself as it looks to make another deep run.
Owen Smith, Natchitoches Central, Sr.
Height, Weight: 6-3, 190
While Smith has had a pair of 2-8 seasons leading the Chiefs, the 2025 season could be a bounce-back season for him with a familiar coaching staff and his experience as factors. Smith passed for 2,403 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024 and kept Natchitoches Central in its District 1-5A games.
Owen Trosclair, Covenant Christian, Sr.
Height, Weight: 5-9, 175
Trosclair not only helped the Lions have a historic baseball season, but he also led them to their first undefeated regular season after passing for 1,755 yards and 24 touchdowns. Trosclair found other ways to make an impact on the gridiron, including having six quarterback sacks on defense.
SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network
Luke Vidrine, Ouachita Christian, Sr.
Height, Weight: 5-11, 165
Vidrine might be small in stature, but he has the experience needed to guide the Eagles to another deep run in his third year as a starting quarterback, going 24-4 in his first two years. Last season, OCS flew high with 40 points and 350 yards per game as Vidrine threw for 2,678 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Braylon Walker, Lafayette Christian, Sr. (UL Lafayette)
Height, Weight: 6-0, 170
Walker and the Knights had an uncharacteristic 6-7 season, but they still found themselves playing on Thanksgiving weekend once they figured things out in the second half of the season. Walker accounted for 2,954 yards and 36 touchdowns last year. If the UL Lafayette commitment can improve upon those numbers this year, LCA can return to the LHSAA Prep Classic.
Malachi Zeigler, Benton, Jr.
Height, Weight: 6-2, 209
The Shreveport-Bossier area is rife with quarterback play, and Zeigler is the next player poised for a breakout season. Zeigler only passed for 997 yards and six touchdowns last season, but he can improve those numbers under new coach Stephen Dennis and his high-scoring philosophy.
Offered by Wisconsin, Miami and Auburn, Zeigler is also a top javelin thrower, topping at 183 feet, 5 inches in his first year in the event.