Signing Day Capsule: Lawrence Keys III
LAWRENCE KEYS III
ISD: 4-star
Composite: 4-star
McDonogh 35 (La.)
5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Recruiter: Del Alexander
Recruitment Rundown: The four-star prospect kept the drama out of his recruitment and stuck to his plan despite schools wanting a commitment a few weeks before National Signing Day. As a New Orleans native, Keys was thought to be a heavy LSU lean until the fall came around. The Tigers stayed in touch but Keys started to look at other options and had even set an official visit to Notre Dame in November but ended up canceling due to the State Playoffs.
Notre Dame did get the first official visit from Keys in mid-January before officials to Texas and SMU. The Longhorns came heavy, but Keys left Austin without giving a commitment and that was a huge win for the Irish.
Del Alexander was instrumental in building a relationship and gaining the trust from Keys and his mother as he made several trips to New Orleans since the end of the 2017 season.
Keys held over 30 offers which included Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M.
ISD expert Jamie Uyeyama: Keys has the kind of speed that is scary for defenders. He can make cuts without losing much or any speed. If a corner plays him tight, he could run right by them.
All he needs is a crease and it can be a house call on any play. He should be a terrific option in the screen game because safeties will be forced to have perfect angles when attacking him or else risk being left watching the back of Keys jersey get smaller and smaller as he runs away from them.
He has the kind of ability where it will be a risk to play off of him because of that. But he also flashes the footwork to get open and separate in tight coverage. He’s going to be such a tough matchup for corners because if they get sucked into overplaying his speed, he is good at adjusting to back shoulder throws.
What makes Keys dynamic is the burst he has. His explosive ability to make a cut and accelerate is special. The way he plants his foot on this slant makes it look like he is shot out of a cannon.