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One of Louisiana’s big football prospects for the 2014 recruiting class calls South Lafourche home.
He’s big in terms of both ability – and brute size.
With a massive 6-foot, 7-inch, 330-pound frame, Tarpons senior offensive tackle Bailey Granier is wowing college scouts with his frame and athletic ability.
The South Lafourche lineman has received committable offers from Alabama, Florida State, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Southern Miss, among others during the initial stages of his recruiting process.
Granier has also visited LSU’s campus a handful of times, and has received interest from the Tigers.
“I have nine total offers right now, and I’m still being told that there are more to come,” Granier said. “Everybody tells me, ‘Oh yeah, you’ll get 100 offers by the time it’s done.’ I laugh and tell them that 100 is probably a little unrealistic, but I’m just amazed with how this has gone so far. … When I had just three, I was amazed. When it jumped to five, I was amazed. The more the number grows, it’s like the more surreal it gets.”
Granier’s ascent to the top of the recruiting boards has come thanks to the solid career he’s enjoyed with the Tarpons.
Granier has started for South Lafourche since Day 1 on the campus. He’s played various positions on the team’s offensive line.
The size is obviously part of his success – he stands head and shoulders above most of his teammates and opponents.
“He’s massive,” South Lafourche senior defensive lineman Mason Boudreaux said. “He’s big, … and he’s really strong.”
But Granier also has good feet and athleticism to nimbly move his massive frame.
He has the quickness to effectively play left tackle – his feet are quick enough to push back speed rushers who try and use wide angles to get to the quarterback.
On running plays, he’s strong enough to push forward and quick enough to surge up the field to get to the second level of the defense.
“He’s a great player,” South Lafourche coach Dennis Skains said of Granier. “He can do anything that you’d want to ask an offensive lineman to do. But he’s also a great leader and a guy that has embraced the role of being a senior leader on our team this coming season.”
That leadership role that Skains mentioned is very important to Granier.
The Tarpons finished the regular season last year with a perfect 9-0 record.
This year, South Lafourche believes it has enough talent in its locker room to field another successful squad.
Granier said he wants to do everything in his power to focus all of his energy on the Tarpons’ 2013 team.
His current team, not his future team, is his biggest focus going forward.
“You only get to be in high school once,” he said. “You only get to have a senior year once. I want to do everything that I can to make sure that I’m focused on doing what I need to do for this team, so that we can have another strong season.
“College is obviously important to me, but right now, my biggest concern is here with my teammates. We’re not finished here yet. We have a goal of winning the state championship, so that’s what my biggest focus is on right now.”
To show even further that his biggest focus is on his senior season, Granier said that he aims to make his final decision this summer.
Granier said he will attend a handful of camps over the summer. Once he visits a few more schools, he said his plan is to make a commitment somewhere either during the late summer or right as the school year starts – but before football season gets under way.
“This way, my mind will be clear and that will be out of the way,” Granier said.
When asked about who is currently in the lead for his services, Granier shed a smile and said he doesn’t have a leader.
Like a true offensive lineman, he compared the whole process to what else? Food.
“I want to see what all is on the table from everywhere before I eat, you know?” Granier said with a laugh. “To me, it’s like a big, giant buffet. Right now, I sort of see a lot of what’s out there to be had, but I want to see the full menu before I commit to making a decision.
“That’s the way I’m looking at it now. I just want to know everything that’s out there before I make my final decision.”
Whatever school gets the nod will be very happy.
They’ll be receiving the services of arguably Louisiana’s top offensive lineman for the 2014 class.
South Lafourche High School offensive tackle Bailey Granier is impressing colleges because of his 6-foot, 7-inch size and powerful 330-pound frame. The Tarpons’ senior has offers from Alabama, Vanderbilt, Florida State and Mississippi State, among others as he continues to roll through his recruiting process.
