Is southern five-star California Dreaming

While it is always tough to get highly thought of players from the South it has become a little bit easier with the success of USC and now with a high powered coaching staff at UCLA, the two Los Angeles schools are drawing interest from a five-star player from the state of Louisiana.

The five-star in question is defensive tackle/offensive guard Chris Davenport (6-4, 320, 5.2) from Mansfield, La.

Besides UCLA and USC, Davenport has offers on the table from the likes of LSU, Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Florida State, Michigan, Minnesota and Boston College.

Davenport earned all-state and all-district as a junior.

Mansfield coach Donald Mayweather is pretty certain why his talented big man is drawing such attention.

"Chris moves like skill person," Mayweather said. "He's really light on his feet for a big man.

"Chris plays hard whistle-to-whistle," Mayweather said. "He never takes a play off. He's a true hustle guy."

"I definitely think he has interest in California," Mayweather said. "I think he's at least going to visit USC and UCLA came by the school the other day. (UCLA defensive line coach) Todd Howard was by school the other day and was impressed.

"I think Chris has interest in the west," Mayweather said. "He's leaving it open. He and his family will make a decision sometime after the season after he takes his five visits."

Obviously when you are rated with five-stars you have incredible talent. Opposing teams had a hard time with Davenport even though he was double teamed and schemed against all season long. That amazing thing about Davenport is by all accounts he's red raw and believe it or not has his best days as a football player ahead of him.

"Chris is not even close to his full potential," Mayweather said. "Once he gets a chance to settle on one side of the ball and get in some serious time in the weight room, there's no telling how good he's going to be. He is one special player."