Hunter Johnson does not have the largest roster in Louisiana high school football. He will tell you that himself.
What he has, entering his third season as head coach of the LaSalle Tigers, is a group of players who have bought into something, a culture, a standard and a mission, and are showing up at 5:00 in the morning to prove it.
With a returning nucleus on both sides of the ball, a dynamic sophomore quarterback drawing attention beyond LaSalle Parish and four permanent team captains leading the charge, the Tigers believe this is the year the program takes its next significant step.
THE CAPTAINS
For the first time, Johnson named four permanent team captains for the 2026 season. These four make up the group he said has collectively seized the leadership role the program needs heading into its most ambitious year yet.
Seniors Wyatt King and Alex Richmond anchor the group, joined by junior offensive lineman Tanner Delaney and sophomore quarterback Luke Lasiter, a choice Johnson said reflects how much the younger signal-caller has grown in a short time.
“As a sophomore, after what I’ve seen during the offseason and into the summer, we named him one of our team captains,” Johnson said. “Even some of the kids older than him look up to him as a leader. It’s pretty crazy.”
THE OFFENSE
Lasiter steps into the starting quarterback role after an impressive finish to the 2025 season. As a freshman, he entered the Tigers’ first-round playoff game in the first quarter and played the remainder of the contest, finishing with 182 passing yards and two touchdowns on 15 of 27 attempts.
“He went from not playing at all or very little to starting, or rather coming in as a sub pretty much in the first quarter of that playoff game and playing the rest of the game,” Johnson said. “As a freshman, on the road in a playoff game, that was a pretty big deal for us.”
Johnson described Lasiter as possessing the most arm talent the program has seen in years, combined with athleticism and an emerging command of the position.
“He’s probably the most arm talent that we’ve had here in several years, and he is a great leader,” Johnson said. “He plays great and is a good athlete overall.”
Senior Wyatt King serves as the backup, a position he rotated in last year in key situations.
The backfield features Braden Tannehill, the team’s fastest player, who Johnson said has added physicality and strength to his game during the offseason while maintaining the elite speed that made him a track standout in the 100 meters and on relay teams.
“He’s a lot bigger than he was,” Johnson said. “He’s still a smaller guy, but he runs hard, and he’s added some physicality to his game this offseason that he didn’t show last year at times. That’s been a big deal for us.”
Senior Alex Richmond headlines the receiving corps after a remarkable offseason. Richmond added 25 pounds of muscle, grew an inch or two in height and improved his speed, all while posting strength numbers that drew attention.
“He’s 175 pounds and he benches 345 and he’s squatting over 400 pounds,” Johnson said. “He runs a 4.6. Unbelievable offseason.”
Richmond will also start at cornerback on defense, giving the Tigers one of their most versatile players in a dual role. Joining him at receiver are sophomore Kasen Maxwell, described by Johnson as a skilled and fast pass catcher with outstanding hands despite his smaller frame, along with Lane Burnham, a tall receiver with strong ball skills, and Jace Corley, praised by Johnson for his physicality and blocking effort.
Wyatt King functions as the Tigers’ do-it-all weapon, capable of playing receiver, tight end, fullback, running back and quarterback. Johnson said the staff intends to manage his touches on offense carefully to keep him fresh for his primary role as the team’s starting Mike linebacker.
“He can play anything,” Johnson said. “He knows the offense inside and out. He’s great with the ball in his hands. And he dropped about 10 pounds over the offseason, so his speed is way up.”
The offensive line returns most of its starters and represents one of the most experienced units Johnson has had since arriving at LaSalle. Center Tanner Dulaney is a three-year starter. Right tackle Parker Brown is also in his third year as a starter. Junior Charlie Seaward starts at right guard after starting every game a season ago. Sophomore Brodie Kirkland, listed at approximately 6 feet and 300 pounds, takes over at left guard after playing significant rotational snaps last season. Sophomore Hunter Boyd returns as the starting left tackle.
“We return pretty much everybody on the offensive line,” Johnson said. “That’s going to help us a lot.”
THE DEFENSE
The Tigers return a veteran defensive line headlined by ends Casen Cockerham, a junior in his second year as a starter, and Colton Taylor, a sophomore also in his second year as a starter. Defensive tackles Taylor Miller and Landon Holloway anchor the interior, with Bronx Bertrand serving as the primary rotational player along the line.
Johnson offered a vivid illustration of Miller’s approach to the game.
“He’s not the biggest kid, but he is mean,” Johnson said. “He just wants to hit people. We always do our team prayer at the end of practice, and they called on Taylor to say the prayer. He bowed his head and said, ‘Dear Lord, I want to thank you for football. I want to thank you for shoulder pads so that we can hit people.’ He was serious. He is something else.”
Holloway, a freshman last season who distinguished himself as a discus thrower in track, brings size, strength and growing athleticism to the tackle position.
King anchors the linebacker corps at Mike, coming off an All-CENLA campaign that included more than 100 tackles and an honorable mention All-State nod. Johnson called him the best linebacker he has coached in eight years at LaSalle.
“He is probably the best linebacker I’ve been around since I’ve been here,” Johnson said. “We’ve had some good ones. But he’s probably the best. And he’s faster and stronger and leaner and meaner and smarter.”
Braden Howard and David May are projected to fill the outside linebacker spots, with Parker Brown projected at inside linebacker as well.
The secondary features Derek Valentine at safety, replacing graduated starter Tuff Street. Johnson described Valentine as a technically sound, highly disciplined player whose football intelligence and work ethic compensate for his smaller frame.
“He’s 130 pounds of pure meanness and discipline,” Johnson said. “If he was 175 pounds, people would fear him all over the state. But he’s 130, and he is a hard worker, a student of the game, and he loves football.”
Richmond and Maxwell will be the starting cornerbacks.
This 2026 Tigers team is filled with sophomore veterans who are beginning to find their place in the program. The amount of experience the young players acquired last year is set to pay huge dividends in this fall’s campaign.
