Southland champion Colonels get verbal commitment from EDW receiver Lafont

Making early offers has paid off over recent years for the Nicholls football team and that continued with the verbal commitment of E.D. White High School receiver Paxton Lafont to the Colonels.

“They offered me early,” Lafont said. “They were my first official offer, full-scholarship ride. They believed in me early.

“It was the hardest decision of my life. It was them and Southeastern, and I had some other schools.”

A win by the Colonels over the University of Incarnate Word to clinch the Southland Conference title helped to solidify Lafont’s choice.

“After seeing what they did Saturday against UIW, even before the game, just talking to the players and all, they came talk to me on my visit. I didn’t have to go out of my way to talk to them, they came talk to me. I felt like I was already there,” said Lafont.

Other factors such as being familiar with receivers coach Sean Murphy and head coach Tim Rebowe, Lafont said, contributed to his decision.

“The coaches themselves, I really have a tight relationship with the coaches – Coach Murphy and Coach Rebowe,” said Lafont. “I’ve known them for a while. That was kind of a deciding factor.

“Plus the quarterback situation, you have Pat McQuaide, he’s unbelievable. That all kind of played a factor, but the biggest factor was I felt like I was already on the team by the way the guys were coming up to me and tapping me up and telling me what’s up.”

At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Lafont fits the mold of Nicholls utilizing taller receivers in their passing game.

“They do use those big receivers, which I like,” Lafont said. “I know David Robinson is a senior right now, so I hope I can come through and follow in his footsteps and grind and hopefully make the dress list or even get a little playing time. I know they really like to use the big receiver, and I think I have a great chance if I work hard enough and grind and learn the playbook to hopefully get a little playing time early.”

Lafont has helped E.D. White to another highly successful season. After going undefeated in the regular season, the Cardinals have reached the Division II select quarterfinals. A year ago, EDW reached the semifinals and played for the state title in 2021.

For the season, Lafont has hauled in 45 catches for 901 yards and 12 touchdowns. Lafont had 30 catches 349 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022. He suffered a collarbone break in Week 6 but managed to return in time to play in EDW’s 38-7 loss to St. Thomas More in the semifinals.

“The injury, I don’t like to think about too much,” Lafont said. “That was tough going through the therapy for that and getting the surgery for that. I was dedicated enough to make it back for the semis and had a pretty good game, I think my best game all year against St. Thomas More, even though we lost. They got the best of that one.

“This year it’s definitely energetic knowing I’m healthy and plan on keeping it that way. We really don’t think about it too much, we kind of just keep balling out.”

Being in the midst of another deep playoff run, Lafont said, contributed to the timing of his decision to attend Nicholls.

“It’s pretty stressful picking where you are going to for the next four years of your life,” he said. “Nicholls, Southeastern, South Alabama, and all these other schools, going into a huge playoff season for us, I’m a senior and we have a lot of great seniors. We have one of the most successful senior classes E.D. White has ever had, and I kind of wanted to lock in for the playoffs.

“Committing almost took a lot of stress away, knowing I have a roster spot on the next level at a Division I school kind of solidified my decision. Also, (Nicholls) winning the Southland Conference championship and the River Bell and going undefeated for the first time in conference history, really amped me up and showed me Coach Rebowe has a lot of good things going on there.”

His father, Toby Lafont, was a tight end at Nicholls from 1993-95. His uncle, Nolan Dumas, was a quarterback with the Colonels from 2008-10.

That gives the younger Lafont a pedigree, he said, but not necessarily a Nicholls legacy.

“We really don’t like to think of it as a legacy,” Lafont said. “The only thing that’s the same from when he was there are the colors and logo. I’m kind of starting my own legacy is the way that we are looking at it.

“I think it’s great that my dad played there. I’m really excited to follow in his footsteps. We both agree it’s a different football team from when he was there. This is kind of a new start for me and I kind of want the whole college experience of me committing to a school and going this route. Even my uncle Nolan, he played there as well. It’s kind of a legacy all around, but all different positions and that was a while ago, so it’s a new team, a new school, and I’m excited to kind of start my own.”