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James Simon makes Louisiana history with State Championship MVP honor

On3 imageby:Billy Embody•12/09/23•

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2025 4-star RB James Simon. (Billy Embody - On3)

2025 four-star Shreveport (La.) Calvary Baptist running back James Simon hugged his father, John Ray Simon, as Calvary Baptist captured a state championship. James was a key piece to that effort, rushing 30 times for 191 yards and three touchdowns.

Simon’s rushing performance helped Calvary Baptist win a thriller, 34-28, over St. Charles Catholic. The LSU target joins his father as a Louisiana state championship game Most Outstanding Player, sitting in rare territory as a father-son duo.

A decision timeframe is starting to emerge for Simon as LSU leads the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. Head coach Brian Kelly and running backs coach Frank Wilson are making him a big priority.

“The message from BK was that I’m a huge target for them,” Simon recounted. “They spoke a lot about academics and the team’s standards, and I spent time talking with Coach Frank here and there.”

Official visits will come this summer. Now that he’s able to hear from college coaches, the junior is getting plenty of attention. “Most of the SEC,” Arizona, Miami, TCU, Oregon, USC and others are coming after him hard, he said this fall.

“I know I’d like to put out a Top 5 in the spring and either early in my season or before the season for my decision,” Simon told On3 this fall.

According to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, Simon ranks as the No. 184 overall prospect in the country, No. 15 running back in the nation and No. 5 prospect in Louisiana. On3 ranks him as the No. 124 overall prospect and No. 8 running back.

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