Tag: lutcher high school

Jontre Kirklin has a real path to earning a Saints roster spot

Jontre Kirklin has a real path to earning a Saints roster spot. New Orleans a history of rewarding special teams aces, and he’s as selfless as they come | @DillySanders

The New Orleans Saints brought in another hometown player in wide receiver Jontre Kirklin. Kirklin, Lutcher native, spent his college days as an LSU Tiger. His Louisiana roots run deep with a chance to go even deeper now with the Saints.

Though he’s listed as a wide receiver, that likely won’t be Kirklin’s path to a roster spot. Kirklin had just 20 catches for 313 yards during his career at LSU, he just didn’t have a ton of opportunities in that room behind future pros likeJustin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, DJ Chark Jr., and Terrace Marshall Jr. He had a promising start to his XFL career but unfortunately fell to injury. During his four-game stint with the Houston Roughnecks he had 15 catches for 253 yards and four touchdown receptions.

Kirklin’s most-likely opportunity will come in the special teams room. He had seven tackles with two missed tackles during his LSU career. He averaged around 46 kick coverage snaps and 17 punt coverage snaps per season at the college level.

Special teams is a viable way to make a name for yourself with the Saints; we’ve seen players like J.T. Gray, Dwayne Washington, Justin Hardee and Chris Banjo earn a roster spot from special teams contributions and then go on to get playing time as a backup in their natural position.

Some wide receivers that Kirklin could find himself in competition with would be Kirk Merritt, Keith Kirkwood (big Kirk representation in training camp), James Washington and Tre’Quan Smith.

Kirklin is a player that will be easy for fans to get behind. His legacy was made as fantastic teammate as an LSU Tiger, who would do whatever the team needed him to do. To understand what kind of teammate Kirklin is, you don’t need to look further than the 2022 Texas Bowl in which Kirklin stepped in as the quarterback for his last game on a team with just over 30 players on scholarship.

He gave an all-time quote during his post-game press conference, which really exemplifies his attitude even today: “We’re Fightin’ Tigers. We’re not going to back down from nobody. If we’ve got 11, we’re going to go play.”

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Jontre Kirklin shares emotional reaction to signing with the Saints

Former LSU standout Jontre Kirklin shared an emotional reaction to signing with his hometown Saints:

Football is more than a game for players with local ties, and that’s the case for Jontre Kirklin. The former LSU Tigers standout played high school ball at Lutcher, a community less than an hour away from the Caesars Superdome — and the same alma mater as Jarvis Landry, whose jersey was retired there last season. Now he’s suiting up for his hometown New Orleans Saints team.

And there’s just one person Kirklin would like to share the news with: his late father, who died earlier this year. “Pops” had a big influence on Kirklin’s life, and it’s clear to see how badly he’s missed. Kirklin will keep his career going in his old man’s memory.

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WATCH: Jarvis Landry’s high school retires his jersey

New Orleans Saints slot receiver Jarvis Landry’s high school retired his jersey on Friday night:

Now this is cool to see. New Orleans Saints slot receiver Jarvis Landry has enjoyed the experience of playing for his hometown team, and on Friday night he had the opportunity to receive a special honor with his high school retiring his old No. 80 jersey. He also delivered a speech to the crowd and presented the football team with a $10,000 donation.

Landry starred at Lutcher High School, a 45-minute drive from the Caesars Superdome, which hosted Helen Cox High School on Friday night. He wore No. 80 in high school, during his college career with the LSU Tigers, and for four years in the NFL as a member of the Cleveland Browns. Landry also used it over the summer with the Saints and in their preseason games, but opted to switch to No. 5 days before the regular season began.

Maybe he’s put No. 80 up for good now that his high school has made this gesture to recognize his achievements. Maybe Landry just felt like trying something new now that the NFL relaxed its rules on jersey number designations. Either way, Landry can look back on this chapter in his life fondly, knowing his place in school history is secure. Good for him.

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