Donald Fusilier

Donald Fusilier is known as “The Receiver Wizard” and he has the credentials to back it up.

Fusilier, a member of Westgate High’s first graduating class in 2002, played receiver for Acadiana High before finishing his career at WHS. He spent seven years outside of competitive football until landing an opportunity to play on the college level.

“I decided to pursue pro ball after that,” said Fusilier, who had stints with the Wichita Wild, Florida Tarpons, Cleveland Gladiators and Colorado Ice after playing college football at Lindenwood and Victor Valley.

Fusilier was a hit on the arena league circuit and thrived in the face of challenging conditions. After sleeping on the floor of an apartment for the first month with Florida, he led the league with 35 TDs.

“You don’t make much money in the indoor leagues,” he said. “It’s hard to find a job in the offseason.”

The Colorado Ice summoned Fusilier from his job selling sneakers at Hibbett Sports in Lafayette’s Northgate Mall. That was his final year playing football, and he took a job at his alma mater in 2017.

He also opened his own training business call “The Team FUSE Camp,” which he later changed to 4th Quarter Mentality. Fusilier is credited with training dozens of star receivers, including early NFL draft picks Keon Coleman and Malik Nabers.

“I was working in the AT&T Call Center and not doing something I enjoyed,” Fusilier recalled. “I woke up in the middle of the night and said, ‘it’s time,’ without knowing what would happen.”

Fusilier said his prayers were answered. A business that began with free training for local athletes quickly expanded to encompass a regional and statewide audience. He accepted a job as receivers coach at Comeaux High and personally tutored Nabers, who took Fusilier with him to the NFL Draft.

“Malik was super-raw at first,” he said. “Going through the recruiting process, I remember people doubting him. He kept a chip on his shoulder and got better and better.”

Nabers went on to star at LSU and was drafted no. 6 overall by the New York Giants.

Fusilier, who has worked as an assistant at St. Martinville, Beau Chene and Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy, was hired in 2021 as Southern University’s personnel director. Last year, he accepted a position as offensive pass game coordinator and receivers coach at Graceland University in Iowa.

Fusilier has a reputation as both as talent developer and evaluator. He is often the first college coach to extend an offer to high school prospects whose recruitment later blows up.

“I spend a lot of time around kids, and I studied scouting,” he said. “I wanted to learn how the NFL executives evaluate players.”

Once a coach with the high-profile Louisiana Bootleggers 7-on-7 team, a group of all-star players from around the state that compete in regional and national flag football tournaments, Fusilier branched off and started his own team, 4th Quarter Mentality 7-on-7, which has exploded in popularity.

“I wanted to put my own mark on things,” he said. “This area is really dear to me – and slept on. Kids from the 337 (area code) don’t get the benefit of the doubt. They have to work harder.”

His players have received dozens of scholarship offers. Receiver Russell Babineaux (Acadiana High) verbally committed to UL this week. Opelousas tailback D’Shaun Ford is ranked as the No. 5 player in Louisiana by Rivals. Cecilia athlete Braylon Calais, who will be a sophomore, has received offers from Texas A&M, Houston and Mississippi State, among others.

“We will pull up on somebody’s campus and show what we’re about,” Fusilier said. “I don’t mind it (having to prove ourselves) because it keeps the kids grounded. We groom them to keep a chip on their shoulder.”

Fusilier is allowed to work with high school athletes as a college coach due to the relaxed recruiting rules in the NAIA, of which Graceland is a member.

He also puts on camps and combines that are covered by national media such as On3, Rivals and 247. Fusilier is approaching nearly 30,000 followers on his X page, formerly known as Twitter. Football prospects from around the state regularly mention his name on their social media posts.

“It’s just about staying consistent,” he said. “On social media, you have to be credible. People will see you’re doing good work and that you want everyone to go to college.”