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People SearchFind an individual who either played a sport or was a member of a support group. Search by last name by clicking on the first letter of the person's last name.
Mr. Jelani Smith
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Home Phone: -- Football: Former Abbeville star leaves Arkansas for UL – Walker Enrolls – Smith, Stokes on Campus Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • January 14, 2010 Former Abbeville High School football standout Jelani Smith spent two years at the University of Arkansas before deciding to finish his college career closer to home. Smith, rated a three-star linebacker coming out of high school, has enrolled at UL for spring semester classes, which started Wednesday. News of the move was first reported Tuesday night by The Daily Advertiser at theadvertiser.com. Under NCAA transfer rules, Smith must sit out the 2010 season for the Ragin’ Cajuns but has two years of eligibility left and can participate in spring drills. The 6-foot, 215-pounder started two games as a true freshman in 2008 but later received a medical redshirt before returning to action for the Razorbacks this past season in a reserve role. “He is a young man we recruited out of high school, and we thought he was a heck of a player,” UL coach Rickey Bustle said. “We’re definitely excited about him coming here.” Attempts to reach Smith were unsuccessful, although his MySpace page lists his current school as UL. Smith was rated the nation’s 38th-best inside linebacker and the state’s No. 35 overall recruit by rivals.com coming out of high school. Scout.com ranked him as the nation’s No. 44 weakside linebacker and the state’s No. 33 overall recruit. He topped 100 tackles in each of his final three years at Abbeville. After originally committing to Louisiana Tech, Smith changed his mind and signed with Arkansas over Georgia, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Smith started the first two games at weakside linebacker as a true freshman at Arkansas in 2008 before suffering a season-ending hand injury. He recorded eight tackles and one forced fumble that season and later retained that year of eligibility with a medical redshirt. In his first college game against Western Illinois, Smith logged five tackles (one for loss), one force fumble and one pass breakup. He had three stops the next game against ULM before hurting his hand. This past season Smith was second on the depth chart at weakside linebacker behind Arkansas’ leading tackler Jerry Franklin. Smith made three tackles in seven games as the Razorbacks (8-5) closed the season with a 20-17 overtime win over East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl. He had one tackle apiece against Eastern Michigan, Texas A&M and East Carolina. While Smith has to sit out the 2010 season, he will get a chance to better learn UL’s defensive system during spring practice. He should fight for a starting job in 2011 as the Cajuns look to replace senior starters Grant Fleming and Daylon McCoy at linebacker after this upcoming season. Walker enrolls The news was first reported Wednesday by The Daily Advertiser at theadvertiser.com. Walker signed with the Cajuns in 2009 but was declared ineligible during preseason camp after the NCAA flagged and threw out his ACT test score. He retook the ACT in September and earned a qualifying score. “I started classes today, and everything went great,” Walker said. “I’m really excited about being back in school.” Walker has five years to use four seasons of eligibility for the Cajuns. He is expected to compete for the starting tailback job during spring drills and will add a speed element that the program lacked in the backfield this past season. Coming out of Mamou, Walker was rated the nation’s 43rd-best all-purpose back and the state’s No. 35 recruit by rivals.com. As a senior in 2008 he led the area in rushing yards (2,021) and rushing touchdowns (27). Smith, Stokes on campus Bustle said that the Cajuns didn’t expect to add any additional players before the end of the NCAA’s midyear junior college signing period on Friday. The National Signing Day for all other recruits is Feb. 3. White, Ratliff move on White signed with the Cajuns in 2008 as a dual-threat quarterback from Pensacola before changing positions after his first year on campus. Former McDonogh 35 all-state linebacker Jewell Ratliff is not enrolled for spring classes. Ratliff signed with the Cajuns in 2009 but had been attending school part-time while attempting to become academically eligible.
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