By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine
One of the high school football programs in Louisiana that has a chance to have one of the best wide receiver groups around the state this fall will be Airline in Bossier City.
Cameron Jefferson and Daxton Chavez are two really talented young men on the same team who have a chance not only to be good in 2022 but also to be good players for many colleges. I’ve seen both these kids play several times, on game films and in person, and they always stand out.
Jefferson is one of the most talented wide receivers in the Shreveport/Bossier area. He shows moxie as a blocker, not something you see a lot of these days from young kids blocking as a wide receiver for the run game. He’s very strong with a 240-pound power clean.
Jefferson is 6-feet and weighs 185 pounds with legit 4.45 speed in the 40. He was also all district in track for Airline. If he has a strong senior year, I will not be shocked if he has a few FBS offers after the season as a wide receiver and defensive back.
Chavez is a tall receiver at 6-4, 190, who has gotten better every year in high school and returns as a three-year starter. He is deceptive with his speed, looks faster on the field than hand timed and has really good hands. He has become a strong player and like Jefferson will block in the run game.
I think the biggest question will be, does he stay at wide receiver in college or bulk up and become a tight end, because it’s very possible he could end up 6-4, 220 by the time he stops filling out.
I also like that both these kids have over a 21 on the ACT and both are over 3.3 in GPA in the classroom.
New Airline head coach Justin Scogin sees a lot of upside in both Chavez and Jefferson.
“Daxton is a big body wide receiver with a huge catch radius and a ton of upside at the next level,” said Scogin. “He’ll have the ability to play out wide or on the line as a tight end. His grades and leadership are second to none and he takes his role as one of the team leaders seriously. He’s a student of the game and is a full qualifier academically with a 23 ACT and 3.65 GPA.
“Jefferson is an extremely versatile player with speed and quickness that is rare for high school,” said Scogin. “He can run it, catch it and play on defense at the next level. With 4.5 speed he can run away from defenders and has the hands to go with it. His 3.85 GPA and 23 ACT make him a full qualifier, and his leadership is what will make him an asset to any program.”
Notes on Cameron Jefferson: Jefferson wants to study architecture in college. He said, “I’ve always thought it was pretty cool to view the process of how different buildings and structures are made, as well as the creative side involved with it.”
Favorite colleges for him are Grambling, because a lot of his family went to college there, and Arkansas, as he’s been a Razorback fan since age 7. He has visited SMU and liked what he saw.
His hobbies are watching movies and hanging out with family and friends.
His dad, Reggie Jefferson, played running back and ran track for New Iberia High School. His mom, Yolanda Jefferson, played basketball and ran track for Grambling Lab High School. His uncle, Michael Jiles, played football for Grambling State and the late, great Eddie Robinson.
Jefferson’s stats from his 2021 season were 29 catches for 452 yards and three touchdowns.
Notes on Daxton Chavez: He has plans to major in business with a minor in marketing. “I’m still open to any and all options that would help me succeed later in life,” he told me.
Chavez likes swimming, traveling, working out and of course, playing football with the guys.
His favorite colleges in no order are Louisiana Tech, Lamar, Arkansas State and Kansas State.
Chavez had 34 catches for 445 yards and one TD in 2021.
Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com