Louisiana Native, 2022 Recruit Qae'Shon Sapp Talks “Dream School” Offer from LSU Football
Qae'Shon Sapp might live in Leesburg, Georgia but his dream school has always been LSU, the program that resides in the state where he was born and spent his early life. Sapp, a 2022 offensive tackle prospect, grew up in Morgan City, Louisiana but moved to Georgia when he was 13 and has spent the last few years honing his craft.
As a ninth grader, Sapp admittedly wasn't happy with his film so his recruitment is still in the slower, early stages of its development. Sapp currently holds offers from Tennessee, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and now the Tigers, who officially made the offer on Sept. 22.
Georgia is another school that hasn't yet offered Sapp but is staying in constant communication with him and a school he has serious interest in as well. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound offensive tackle has spoken with the LSU coaching staff a few times and gets the general sense that the Tigers really love the way he plays.
"They're my dream school, I'm from there and it was a really big relief because that's one offer I've wanted ever since I was a kid," Sapp said. "It feels good to have that chance to go back home to my family and have that real great support system. All of the coaches that contact me make sure my family's alright and just how I'm doing with the season."
He's spoken with offensive line coach James Cregg and loves the energetic approach he brings to the program. But his ties with the LSU program don't stop with Cregg as he's actually been able to speak with redshirt freshman Kardell Thomas on a number of occasions.
Sapp reached out to Thomas on social media about a year ago and the two have struck up a friendship.
"He was really inspiring to me because of the way he played so I reached out to him and he responded back and been cool ever since," Sapp said. "He's told me to just take in the moment and don't rush to commit and take all of my official visits and don't be pressured into a decision. At the end of the day there's one team for you and you need to take the time to find the perfect fit.
"He [Cregg] takes care of his offensive linemen as I hear, he's really high on academics and a real good coach," Sapp said. "I'm excited to meet him whenever I can go on a visit. He's seen my film and loves the way I come off the ball and play with a lot of passion."
On the field, Sapp says his pass blocking and getting to the second level of the defense have been two areas he's really thrived on since his team's return to play for his junior season.
"Ever since our first two games this season, I've gotten better with my feet, I still have some stuff to work on but college coaches see the potential that I have to be a really good player," Sapp said. "I'm a very hard worker and I'm always trying to get better at what it is I'm trying to do."
The offseason was spent cleaning up his hips, making sure they stay in the ground, as well as his footwork. Sapp joked that if he wasn't a football star, his footwork is so pristine that he could probably be a pretty successful track star.
Not only is his performance on the field improving on a daily basis, but now that his recruitment has started to pick up in recent weeks, he's going to a few fellow recruits for advice. A couple of the players he's keeping in contact with are Tyre West and Christen Miller, two of the 2022 classes best defensive linemen.
He's also reached out and befriended current 2021 LSU commit Nathaniel Wiggins.
"I'm very close with those guys, we have a great relationship and have actually talked about us going to the same college, if it comes together," Sapp said. "Whenever we get an offer, we congratulate each other, always plan and talk about the future and it's been great getting to know one another."
Sapp believes the LSU program is an intriguing option moving forward and the opportunity to play in front of his family is something he'll weigh heavily into his decision.
"I really love the enthusiasm they have in the Death Valley Stadium, I've been to a couple of games over the years and I always loved watching them on TV as a kid too," Sapp said. "It's really eye opening to have one of my favorite teams is looking at me and offering me so it puts a big toll on my heart."