BAY ST. LOUIS— Bay High offensive lineman Jordan Sutherlin is considered one of the Coast’s sleeper college football prospects.

A few Division I schools are starting to recruit Sutherlin.

Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Arkansas State and Southern Miss are among the schools that has shown interest in Sutherlin.

He plans to make an official visit to the ULM campus over the next several weeks.

“It would mean a lot for me to play college football,” Sutherlin said. “Since I was a kid, I dreamed of playing college football.

“I don’t know what I’d do without football.”

At 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, Sutherlin has the size and strength to play offensive line in major college football. With a 3.8 GPA and 20 ACT score, he’s already qualified academically.

Bay High coach Jeff Hopgood, a former offensive lineman at Southern Miss during the 1990’s, believes Sutherlin can play D-I football.

Tigers linebacker Rory Island is also being recruited by the schools.

“I feel that Jordan’s a D-I lineman,” Hopgood said. “He’s got good hands and good feet. He has the body for a D-I lineman. He’s very smart, can run and pass protect well.

“He started at Bay High forever. I hate to lose him.”

No trick or treat

Sutherlin didn’t envision his football career ending before the Halloween weekend. The Tigers finished 4-6 and failed to make the Class 4A state playoffs.

He expected the Tigers would make the postseason.

“This is not how I expected my senior year would turn out,” Sutherlin said. “We lost two games that could’ve put us in the playoffs.

“We had FCAHS on the ropes, but they beat us and won the region title. We fell short against Greene County and they make the playoffs.

“We had Hancock, but we couldn’t finish the game.”

Despite the losing campaign, Sutherlin provided leadership at Bay High and Part of the reason for Sutherlin getting overlooked by recruiters is Bay High playing in 4A.

If Sutherlin played at a 5A or 6A school, he would’ve gotten more attention.

The preseason All-South Mississippi selection disagrees with the critics downplaying 4A competition.

“We’re just as physical as the bigger schools,” Sutherlin said. “We don’t have the depth like the bigger schools. Bay High would give the bigger schools a good game. We played Vancleave tough in our first game.”

Pearl River Community College may be an option for Sutherlin.

The Wildcats, 6-3 this season, have one of the nation’s top junior college football programs. They narrowly missed out on a playoff berth.

“If playing two years at Pearl River is the best situation for me, I’ll take it,” Sutherlin said. “If I do good at PRCC, I’ll have an opportunity to play college football.

“But I have a feeling some big school’s going to offer me.”

Sutherlin will find out his destination in three months.