Ranking the Contenders: Jaeden Roberts
Rivals250 offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts is a quiet giant. He opened the 2019 season at Galena Park (Texas) North Shore at right tackle before transitioning back inside to guard and helping lead his team to a consecutive Class 6A state championship.
Roberts, originally from Kansas, is a Texas transplant who made visits to Oklahoma State, LSU and Alabama, and has named Baylor, Auburn and Arkansas as top schools. He has no concrete timeline in place for a commitment, but a decision will likely be made once Roberts can resume taking visits.
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MORE RANKING THE CONTENDERS: Marcus Burris | Brock Bowers | JD Coffey | Katron Evans | Kelvin Gilliam | Julien Simon | Bram Walden | Aaron Armitage
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
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LSU
Roberts landed an LSU offer and camped in Baton Rouge last summer, which has become a theme over the years for prospects coming out of Galena Park (Texas) North Shore High School, the alma mater of several current and former Tigers such as Eric Monroe and K'Lavon Chaisson.
Coach Ed Orgeron and offensive line coach James Cregg have identified Roberts as a priority target in the 2021 class, a group that currently does not have a commitment from an offensive lineman. Roberts has visited LSU quite a bit, and the interest is certainly mutual.
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ALABAMA
Alabama was one of the final visits that the Rivals250 offensive lineman was able to make right before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NCAA into an indefinite dead period. Roberts was in Tuscaloosa as recently as February and was eyeing a return trip later in the spring. The Tide signed former North Shore offensive lineman Damieon George from the 2020 class and are hoping to repeat history with Roberts in 2021.
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OKLAHOMA STATE
Roberts made a junior day trip to Stillwater, Okla., earlier this spring and the coaching staff instantly clicked with the four-star guard. The Cowboys have remained consistent with communication and in their appeal to the talented Texas prospect.
Oklahoma State always emphasizes Lone Star State recruiting and the programs is one of the legitimate sleeper contenders to eventually land a commitment from Roberts.
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ARKANSAS
Chad Morris' Arkansas staff offered Roberts when he relocated to Texas, and the new regime under Sam Pittman has not missed a beat. Arkansas is in the lead group for the four-star lineman and has several coaches involved in his recruitment. That group includes offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, who used to coach at Houston and continues to recruit the area, as does offensive line coach Brad Davis. It also must be mentioned that Pittman, a former offensive line coach, is playing a large role.
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AUBURN
The aforementioned Chad Morris is no longer at Arkansas. Instead, he's the offensive coordinator at Auburn and assisting with the Tigers' recruiting efforts in the Lone Star State. Morris is working to flip Roberts' teammate, quarterback Dematrius Davis, and has given Auburn a unique edge in the race for Roberts.
Roberts has yet to visit The Plains, but expect the Tigers to be fully in the mix for an official visit after the pandemic.
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BAYLOR
LSU was an early offer and an early favorite for Roberts, and several former Tigers staffers have joined former defensive coordinator Dave Aranda in Waco after he became the Bears' new head coach. Among those assistants is former LSU defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, who assumed the same role for Baylor. Johnson played a huge role in LSU landing Chaisson a few years back, and he is aiding Baylor's efforts with Roberts, who is intrigued by the possibility of playing not too far from his Houston home.