2023 Linebacker Jaiden Ausberry's Recruitiment Taking Off, Talks LSU Football Interest

Jaiden Ausberry has grown up around LSU football. He goes to school at University High, which is located in the heart of LSU's campus so he's been able to follow the program up close for a long time.

Ausberry is still relatively new to the recruiting scene as the 2023 outside linebacker prospect has earned a handful of offers that include LSU, Mississippi State, Arizona State and South Carolina. While he's excited that his recruitment is finally starting to pick up steam, Ausberry views the LSU offer as a way he could continue a strong legacy of U-High football players that move on to play for the purple and gold.

"It was a real blessing because I grew up in Baton Rouge and on that campus. I was real blessed and humbled to receive it," Ausberry said. "They've had a lot of good players at U-High go through there so get that LSU offer, it was a real blessing."

Though he's considered a linebacker prospect, it's Ausberry's speed that sets him apart from your typical big bodied linebacker. Currently running a 4.5 40-yard dash, Ausberry hopes to add on some weight in the hopes that he can shift into an inside linebacker role at the collegiate level.

One of the players Ausberry models his game after is former LSU linebacker Devin White, who came to the program initially as a running back prospect before making the switch to linebacker.

"My strengths are speed, going to the ball and attacking. I don't think I have a big weakness but I want to get bigger so I can play that inside linebacker position," Ausberry said. "I run a 4.5-4.6 right now but I want to be able to run a 4.4, kind of like a Devin White. That's who I resemble my game after. His speed and the way he plays, he's got that dog mentality and that's how I want to play.

"My technique and my football IQ really has gotten better over the last year. I can play inside and outside linebacker but a lot of people don't know I was actually playing cornerback this past summer. That speed has really helped me out."

Ausberry has currently spent the offseason playing with the Louisiana Bootleggers travel 7v7 team, an experience he really enjoys as it allows him to practice his coverage skills on speedy receivers that he can expect to face at the inside linebacker position.

To help prepare him for those moments, Ausberry has been playing a little defensive back, a position not many know that he can play because of his size.

"It really helps me because you have to guard these small, speedy people and that's how the game is now," Ausberry said. "You've gotta be fast because the game's made for offense. So it really helps me guard those speedy receivers."

LSU is one of the schools that appears to be very interested in Ausberry's game but it's difficult to pigeon hole him into a specific position until his body fills out. Ausberry has spoken with cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond, who tells him how excited he is about what Ausberry can bring to the defense.

Watching LSU's defense a year ago, the U-High rising junior knows he could go into that program and make a difference so the down season really doesn't play much of a factor in his decision making process.

"Coach Raymond tells me that I'm fast and to stay humble and has really just talked about how LSU has a new defensive coordinator. It tells me I can go in there and make it better bringing in good mentality," Ausberry said.