BREAKING: Louisiana’s Dez Ellis commits to LSU Football

On Saturday night, Louisiana rising senior Dezyrian “Pook” Ellis revealed his commitment to LSU.

Ellis, who was recruited to the Tigers as a cornerback, is the second addition at the position for LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond.

The Tigers also hold a commitment from a Top 10 cornerback prospect in the 2026 class in California 4-star Havon Finney.

The announcement came down to the option to play cornerback for his home-state Tigers or quarterback at West Virginia, one of a handful of college teams that took that approach.

In the end, the pitch from Raymond and LSU won out.

Ellis began his high school career two and a half years ago with goals to take hometown Franklin Parish to new heights as a program.

The Patriots stunned much of the state this fall by upending a highly touted Calvary Baptist team, won their district for the first time in history, earned the No. 4 seed in the Division-II Non-Select bracket and made their first-ever quarterfinal appearance.

This offseason, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound rising senior quarterback and all-around athlete became the first player to earn an LSU scholarship offer since the rural northeast Louisiana parish consolidated its high schools in 2005.

“It’s a dream come true,” Ellis told The Bengal Tiger. “It’s always been ‘THE school.’ By ‘THE school,’ I mean the school that me and everyone I grew up with wants to attend, the school that will change people where I come from’s lives. I’m overly excited to receive an offer from LSU. As a kid growing up in Louisiana, you have no choice but to be an LSU fan.”

No player in the area had been recruited by the home-state SEC power since defensive tackle Anthony “Booger” McFarland signed with the Tigers out of Winnsboro High in 1995.

Another local native, defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, signed with Alabama in 2017, but had commuted to Neville, nearly an hour away in Monroe, for high school. 

“Prior to (Ellis) coming in the ninth grade, in the eighth grade, there were some rumblings, some rumors that he may be like some other kids to leave and go somewhere else to start his high school career,” coach Adrian Burnette said. “So I think the first thing is for him to say, ‘Man, I’m born and raised in Franklin Parish, I wanna stay in Franklin Parish, I want to build Franklin Parish,’ I think that’s a testament in its own right that needs to be applauded for that kid.

“And when him and (Tavon) Bell and (Chris) Addison and some other kids came over from that junior high, they had a mission where they wanted to change the image of Franklin Parish. They wanted to change the culture. And, man, I was just fortunate, if nothing else, to be coming at around the same time. But, overall, for him and any kid from Louisiana, if you’re a big-time high school football player and you want to go to the next level, I think it’s everybody’s goal or dream to go to LSU. And for it to actually come to pass, it’s great.”

Months before his June official visit at LSU, a trip to Baton Rouge ultimately proved another huge moment for Franklin Parish and an opportunity for a childhood dream for Ellis to become a reality.

“Toward the end, I kind of felt it in the air,” Ellis beamed. “And once the defensive coordinator (Blake Baker) called me over there and told me I had the offer, I couldn’t do nothing but smile. I almost gave him a hug.”

Ellis earned some wide receiver reps as a freshman, took the reins of the offense as a sophomore and showed some promising flashes and then took the state somewhat by storm with a breakout junior campaign this fall.

He completed 115 of his 206 passes for 2,189 yards, 31 touchdowns and seven interceptions and rushed 90 times for another 827 yards and 10 scores on his way to District 2-4A MVP and Class 4A all-state quarterback recognition.

Burnette has felt strongly that Ellis possesses more potential at quarterback than people may realize, but some programs have been particularly intrigued by his high-level athleticism as a potential fit elsewhere on the field, including Raymond eying him as a promising cornerback. 

“I think he can be a next-level quarterback,” Burnette said. “I think that with some training and continuously doing what he’s doing, I think easily a Saturday quarterback. But different schools have different things they’re looking for as far at that next level… And Blake Baker, who I went to (Tulane) with and played ball with, I think the world of him as a defensive coordinator. I’ve known Corey Raymond and followed him throughout the years. So I believe guys of that caliber — and guys from other schools of that caliber — they know what they’re looking for.

“The kid’s 6-2.5, runs a 4.5, does backflips in the end zone. I mean, he’s a freakish athlete. And they know what makes their program run, their defense, offense and different positions. So I just trust it’s going to be more about what he’s comfortable with and who he’s comfortable with.”

Even before the “CB vs QB” debate, Ellis said relationships factored heavily into his college decision.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” he said. “Me, I can play any position on the field. For them, if they offer me at offensive line, I wouldn’t care, because I would go do that.”

And the bond with Raymond and Baker key, he said, adding that LSU feels like home with its relative proximity, recognizable culture and the familiarity of having grown up watching the program.

“J-Jettas (Justin Jefferson), Ja’Marr Chase, Derek Stingley (Jr.) and Odell (Beckham Jr.),” Ellis said. “I remember watching guys like that growing up wearing that purple and gold, and I still look up to those guys… (Raymond and Baker offering) means that I can be in those guys’ shoes one day, I can be like one of those guys — that I have the chance, and coach Corey believes that I have the chance.”