Several potential football prospects were in attendance for LSU’s blow out of North Texas on Saturday.Those who watched on included West Monroe linebacker Barkevious Mingo, Lawrence County running back Kendrick Hardy from Mississippi, West Monroe cornerback Tyler Glynn and Baton Rouge Central safety Josh Johns.Mingo, the most heralded of the visitors, has numerous offers from schools across the country, including LSU and Alabama.West Monroe coach Don Shows said Mingo’s raw speed and athletic ability is what makes him such a promising prospect. The 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pounder started the season for West Monroe at safety but has since moved back to linebacker.”He was more comfortable at linebacker,” Shows said. “He has only been playing football for two years.”Current commits also in attendance at the North Texas game included Tupelo quarterback Chris Garrett from Mississippi and Northshore offensive lineman Chris Faulk.    WOOTEN COMMITSLSU coach Les Miles and the Tigers’ coaching staff picked up their 18th verbal commitment for the 2009 football recruiting class when wide receiver Rantavious Wooten committed Aug. 29.The 5-foot-10-inch, 160-pound speedster out of Glades Central High School in Florida is rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 34 receiver in the nation by Rivals.com. Wooten chose LSU over a number of other scholarship offers from schools. Those schools included Georgia, Miami, Michigan, West Virginia and Auburn.Glades Central coach Jesse Hester said Wooten is a player with a tremendous attitude and off-the-field demeanor.”He has tremendous talent,” Hester said. “The kid has no weakness as far as a football player. He’s not a big kid, but he has what it takes to be a complete player. All the other guys look at him and get their energy from him.”Hester said he had no input in Wooten’s decision to commit. He said it should be a family decision, though he did speak to Wooten about what he likes about LSU.”First and foremost, he was extremely impressed with the coaching staff,” Hester said. “He likes the makeup of the group of receivers that are there. He felt like he could fit in really good with that group. That was one of the biggest deciding factors in his decision — figure out how you, as a player, fit in with the guys that are already there.”Wooten plays wide receiver at Glades Central, but also returns punts and kicks. Hester said he may end up starting at cornerback for his team as well.”He’s definitely what you call an off-the-field guy,” Hester said. “He does everything you’d want in a kid. He’s very versatile.”Wooten is the second receiver committed to the 2009 class, joining fellow four-star recruit Kenny Bell of Rayville. The Tigers are still trying to lure in Reuben Randle, the top-rated player in Louisiana and the No. 1 receiver for the 2009 class, according to Rivals.com. Randle has scholarship offers from schools all over the nation including LSU, Miami and Alabama.   
 
RECRUITING BLOCK                                                   Rivals Star RatingMichael Ford, RB (5’10”, 200 lb, Leesville)                               4Mike Brockers, DE (6’6″, 255 lb, Houston, TX)                         4Janzen Jackson, DB (6’1″, 185 lb, Lake Charles)                     4Josh Downs, DL (6’1″, 275lb, Bastrop)                                     3Drayton Calhoun, ATH (6’0″, 175lb, Tucker, GA)                      4Russell Shepard, ATH (6’1″, 180lb, Houston, TX)                    5Chris Garrett, QB (6’4″, 220lb, Tupelo, MS)                             3Dexter Pratt, RB (6’2″, 220lb, Navasota, TX)                           4Kevin Minter, LB (6’0″, 230lb, Suwanee, GA)                           4Willie Ferrell, LB (6’0″, 220lb, Tallahassee, FL)                        3Chris Faulk, OL (6’6″, 310lb, Slidell)                                         4Carneal Ainsworth, OL (6’4″, 300lb, Baton Rouge)                   4Stavion Lowe, OL (6’5″, 295lb, Brownwood, TX)                      4Josh Williford, OL (6’7″, 345, Dothan, AL)                                 3Chris Davenport, DL (6’4″, 318, Mansfield)                               5Derek Helton, P, (6’2″, 170, Fort Scott, KS)                               0Kenny Bell, WR, (6’1″, 160, Rayville)                                        4Rantavious Wooten, WR (5’10”, 160, Belle Glade, FL)             4- – – – Contact Tyler Harvey at [email protected]