We would like to welcome our next Diamond In The Rough to Gridiron, Torin Ledet, a 5’6″, 130-pound Class of 2028 Running Back out of Comeaux High School. Carrying a 2.7 GPA into his junior year of high school, Ledet attended the Breaux Bridge Gridiron Football Elite Camp, where he greatly showed off his skills and how fast and explosive he is. He clocked a 4.47 40, a 4.39 shuttle, and a 9’11” broad jump. On the field, he may be small, but his speed is what makes him special. He has the ability to break off long runs, and if he gets into open space, defenders have almost no chance to catch him. It helps that he is a track athlete as well and competes in full sprint events like the 100, 200, and 400. His dream is to play for UL-Lafayette, and he can play multiple positions, including receiver, running back, and DB.
Here is my conversation with Torin Ledet:
What has your football journey been like? At what age did you start playing football, and what inspired you to play football?
What really inspired me to play football was my parents. I started playing when I was a kid, but I stopped for a bit, and then I started again my freshman year of high school. But yeah, my journey has been interesting.
Who have been some of the biggest influences in your journey? Family members, coaches, etc?
It would definitely be my oldest brother, my mom, my dad, and my running back coach.
How would you describe the football culture at your school, community, and in Louisiana?
I would say it’s pretty good, and there are a lot of schools and coaches that just want you to do better and succeed. Overall, I think it’s great. There are a lot of good opponents too; they show you stuff that you have not seen or learned before, and every day, it puts you to work.
Do you have a core memory of playing as a little kid, like when you first started playing?
Not really, but I remember when I was young, playing all the time, and on the flag football team, I played running back, and they liked me so much because I was so fast.
What do you like better now? Running back or receiver?
I like receiver better because I like to run. I do a lot of running, so I do track and field as well, and I do the sprints like the 100, 200, 400, and things like that.
What’s something about your game that you think separates you from other players at your position?
I want to say my speed because I know I got it, and I know I can catch the ball, make plays, score touchdowns, and whatnot. I just know I am capable of doing what the coach tells me to do.
What part or parts of your game do you feel like have improved the most over the years, and what would you like to improve on?
I feel like I have improved at my position as a running back because I didn’t see myself playing that until the coaches were like, you know what, he’s running back material. See, I’m small, but I’m good at hitting those holes when they open up, and I’m good at making quick decisions when I start realizing them, and I’ve gotten better at that. The skills I want to improve are definitely my DB skills.
Walk me through your preparation during a typical game day.
At 2:45, the school bell rings, and then we go into the locker room, and we just chill out and get ready for the game. We eat, take a nap, wait for the game, and then once it’s time, we go out there and play. I listen to music and lock in as best as I can. I stay focused so I don’t let the team down. That’s my biggest thing, and I always want to win.
What kind of things do you do during the offseason to stay motivated, disciplined, healthy, etc?
Track is the main thing that gets me in and out of the house. I also do extra work with my trainer, or if he’s unavailable, I reach out to my running backs coach, and we go to certain colleges and high schools to train with them and do one-on-ones, workouts, and things like that.
I’m also getting some help with eating healthier, like I’m eating a decent amount of peanut butter to bulk up, making sure I do salads here and there, and drinking a lot of milk.
What were some of the toughest challenges you faced over the years of playing thus far?
Losing. I go to Comeaux, and we didn’t win a game my first year, but then we started picking it back up and went 5-5. Learning and understanding that you are not going to win everything, but as long as you have a positive mindset and a good attitude about it, you can do anything, and that’s how I’ve been playing.
What was the most memorable game you played, and why did it stand out?
It was our last game of the season when I broke a 33-yard touchdown run, but our starting running back got hurt, so they put me in, and I was the first one to score on the last drive. It stood out to me because it opened my eyes to how committed I need to be and how much potential I have.
How would you describe yourself as a leader to your teammates?
I’m not that talkative, but I check on people as much as I can, and I’ll make sure I let them know I am always there for them. That’s another thing: I will always do what the coach tells me to do, and I’ll let people know if they need to correct some things.
When people look back at your high school career, what do you hope they say about you as a player and person?
I am a loving person who loves football and is capable of doing what I am told. And also a really good player who stood out.
What was the Breaux Bridge Gridiron Football camp experience like?
I was shocked. It was my first time going to a camp and my first time doing a 40 in a while. My first attempt, I clocked a 4.56, and I know I got to lock in and clocked a 4.47 the second time. I wanted to get my name out.
What were some of your biggest takeaways from it? What is something you learned the most?
I ended up getting some DB reps, caught a pick, and while doing that, I opened my hips to not get jammed by receivers, so I just got comfortable and saw the ball come my way, and I ended up getting it.
Are you getting in contact with any college coaches? Is there a specific college or colleges you have in mind that you want to play for?
My dream right now is to get into UL, but I have been talking to some coaches like Virginia Lynchburg, McNeese, and LCU. I also got a camp invite to LCU, so I’m definitely going to go to that.
If you were to tell those college coaches why they should recruit you, what would you tell them?
A lot of people will say they are fast, and they will do exactly what they need to do on and off the field, which is what I will do 100% as well, but I’m very disciplined, humble, and I like working, and yeah!
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