On May 27th, Gridiron Football’s Elite Camp Series shifted gears from the spring to the summer and held the camp at Northshore High School in Slidell, Louisiana. At the camp, 33 players decided that they were going to arrive on a Saturday morning and put some work in order to get ready for not only the summer camp season, but also the upcoming fall.
The Northshore High School camp may have not been our biggest camp in terms of turnout, but what the camp lacked in quantity, it made up for it in quality as this was arguably the deepest and most talented camp of the five stops we have made this off-season.
It showed in the combine as players got to flash their speed in the 40. There was a lot of speed at the camp as former LSU QB Marcus Randall, who was timing the 40, stated that this was the fastest group of kids he timed out of all the camps he timed this year. Terrebonne High School 2026 RB/WR Alvin Celestin dropped everybody’s jaws with a blistering 4.44 time, which was among the fastest from our Camp Elite Series. Along with the stand alone 4.44/40 time, there were also four other 4.5/40 runs including John Curtis High School 2024 DB Jermal Callio (4.5), Pine High School 2024 RB James Owens (4.53), Salmen High School 2024 WR Kaileb Rayford (4.53), and Biloxi High School 2027 ATH Williams Lai (4.54). Catholic High School 2026 DE/OLB RJ Fleming-Ricard showed off his quickness as a pass rusher posting a fast 4.6/40. Finally, Fontainebleau High School 2024 WR Drew Sellers (4.6), Pine High School 2025 CB Thomas Bernard (4.62), Fontainebleau High School 2025 QB Drake Dichiara (4.66), and Biloxi High School 2024 QB Zachary Marlin (4.69) all managed to run under a 4.7.
In the shuttle, once again, James Lucas IV showed why he is the master of the drill equalling his best time of a 4.07, which ties for the best time throughout the Elite Camp Series. Kaileb Rayford (4.3) and Alvin Celestin (4.38) were in the 4.3 range while RJ Fleming-Ricard (4.44), Salmen High School 2024 QB Cameron Dorsey (4.44), and Drake Dichiara (4.44) managed to run under a 4.5.
After having the longest broad jump at the Rayville camp, James Owens showed that the big numbers he posted at the previous camp were no fluke as once again had the best broad jump of the camp with a 10’4. In fact, that was the best broad jump of the entire camp series. Salmen High School 2025 DE DeReyon Jenkins used his length to jump an impressive 9’8 jump. James Lucas IV (9’7), William Lai (9’2), Cameron Dorsey (9’2), Thomas Bernard (9’2), and Livingston Collegiate Academy 2025 DL Dion Griffith (9’1) all jumped over 9 feet.
With it not being the biggest turnout, players got extra reps and one on one coaching with it all being captured on video. Whether it was going through individual drills or going through 1 on 1s, all the players were very competitive and not afraid to compete against each other. Because of that, all the coaches that helped with the camp took notice. At the end of the camp, each coach awarded the top performers with Gridiron Football lanyards and last year’s bowl game rings.
James Lucas III worked with the offensive and defensive linemen. He was very impressed with all of the guys that put work in and thought that was the hardest working group of players in the trenches that he worked with throughout the series. All seven players really impressed including Terrebonne High School 2025 OL/DL Zyon Simmons, Pine High School 2024 DE Tre Magee, Gulfport High School 2024 DE Ka’Darrius Reed, De’Reyon Jenkins, and Dion Griffith, but three players really separated themselves as Terrebonne High School 2024 DE Tydrick Stewart, Livingston Collegiate Academy 2024 OL/DL Alton Risin, and Springfield High School 2024 OL/DL Tyler Gardner were selected by Coach Lucas as the top performers from the camp at Northshore High School because of their competitiveness, ability, and willingness to help and encourage other players throughout the drills as well.
It was also the camp of the quarterbacks. Being a quarterback guru himself and playing quarterback for LSU, Marcus Randall knows a thing or two about quarterback play and he even said that this was the best group of quarterbacks that he has seen at any of the camps. There were some good ones including James Lucas IV, both Fontainebleau High School signal callers in Ian Burleson and Drake Dichiara and also Biloxi High School QB Zachary Marlin, but two were rewarded as the camp’s top performers. Those two quarterbacks were Jesuit High School 2024 QB Beau Perez and Salmen QB Cameron Dorsey. Both quarterbacks showcased great touch and accuracy on their throws while also being able to throw on the move.
The skill position players showed their speed at the combine and their athleticism on 1 on 1s. Terrebonne’s speedy Alvin Celestin, Pine’s James Owens, and Salmen’s Kaileb Rayford were chosen by Woodlawn High School assistant coach Eric Holden as the top performers from the camp.
Terrebonne High School head coach Tyler Lewis worked with the defensive backs and got the chance to teach those players some new techniques they could use for the upcoming season. He chose John Curtis High School DB Jermal Callio as his top performer.
Finally, Sarah T. Reed High School Coach Markell Johnson worked with the linebackers. There were some defensive ends that got some good work at the position to showcase their versatility including Northshore High School’s own Jamire Bolden, who has been an All-District selection for the Panthers and had the speed to match up with other skill players despite playing in the trenches. Denham Springs High School 2025 MLB Trenton Harrison also had a good outing at the camp, but Johnson decided to reward Catholic High School’s young athletic specimen RJ Fleming-Ricard and one of his own players that excelled in Sarah T. Reed High School 2025 OLB Johnel Smith.
Gridiron Football CEO Andy Bryson ended the camp with some Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game offers as Beau Perez, Cameron Dorsey, Jermal Callio, and Kaileb Rayford were invited to take part in the prestigious bowl game.
Players also got the chance to not only get combine numbers and bowl game invitations, but each player got their picture taken for the magazine while also having the chance to get interviewed for our YouTube channel and social media.
Northshore High School head coach Bobby Sanders was happy with what Gridiron Football was able to do in giving kids an opportunity to showcase their skills while promoting them at a national level.
“I think it is a great thing what y’all are doing. Anything that gets an opportunity for high school kids to get out there and to showcase their talent and anything that they can do outside of their regular football time that makes them better football players and also helps them in recruiting, I am all for it. Not just the Gridiron Football Camp, but any other college camp for that matter. Go to LSU, go to Baylor, wherever, and get out there and get some exposure for yourself. I think it is a great thing that y’all do. It’s awesome that y’all have the ability to do that. Any opportunity that makes them better at football, I am all for it.”
Northshore High School Head Coach Bobby Sanders
It was a great way to end the Gridiron Football Elite Camp Series and what an exciting series it has been. Now, it is time to focus on the summer months where we will shift our focus on doing what we do best and that is bring a lot of media exposure to some of the best talent the nation has to offer.
To keep up with everything that is going on with Gridiron Football, make sure to visit our website daily at www.gridironfootballusa.com.
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