Takeaways from Derek Williams' playoff opener

NEW IBERIA, La. — On3 was on hand for Derek Williams’ playoff opener Friday night in Acadiana. The On3 Consensus five-star safety racked multiple tackles and played the role of enforcer for New Iberia (La.) Westgate in a comfortable first-round victory over visiting Belle Chasse (La.) High School.

This On3 analyst has been on the sidelines for more in-person evaluations of Williams than any other national analyst in the country. Let’s dive into how the Texas commit and his talented teammates fared in the game:

Williams finds his form on defense

After being sidelined for the bulk of the regular season with a nagging PCL injury, Williams returned to action for Westgate’s regular-season finale, and finally reared back into form about a quarter into the playoff opener. One of the most physically imposing defenders in the country, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Williams worked primarily in the box to eliminate the outside running game. Williams has outstanding range when playing in center field, so moving closer to the line of scrimmage only added to his ability to punish ball carriers and get active in the backfield, too.

The Texas commit was exceptional against the run and is a tempo-setter for his defense. A healthy Williams will be a sight to watch for the remainder of the postseason. The 2023 class is loaded at the safety position with several five-stars already including Williams, who reminds me a ton of Jamal Adams with his downhill playing ability. His physicality is a little different than some of the other safeties in this crop.

Johnson has big-play ability along the DL

Four-star junior DL De’Myrion Johnson closed last season out with authority and has been even more impactful this season. That was the case during the team’s jamboree and again working at defensive end for Westgate and consistently doing his part to slow down the run and also make plays behind the line of scrimmage.

The 6-foot-3, 280-pounder is light on his feet with excellent bend and uses his hands very well against opposing linemen. Johnson was effective setting the edge against the run and also crashing in on inside runs. He chased down runners beyond the line of scrimmage in pursuit and made a handful of splash tackles for loss throughout the game. LSU is favored for one of the state’s best in 2024 on On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine.

2025 ATH Antoine is next up

Westgate has churned out high Power-5 talent at a routine pace in recent cycles with Kayshon Boutte, Danny Lewis and Williams, to name a few. One of the underclassmen putting themselves on the map in a convincing way this season is 2025 ATH Jaboree Antoine, who doubles as Westgate’s starting quarterback and works at cornerback, where he’ll likely garner the most looks at to play on Saturdays.

Antoine, who checks in close to 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, already possesses an impressive frame and showcased his speed running in the open field, not to mention his ability to absorb some tough hits from a physical Belle Chasse defense. Antoine is a vital part of this as a point guard and playmaker with his legs, and his athleticism translated at defensive back, Antoine broke up a pass attempt in the end zone in the first half. Antoine knocked the pass down at its highest point on third down as an exclamation point in his first playoff start.

The buzz around Westgate is that Miami is already doing its homework on the talented 2025 athlete from The Boot.

Quick-hitters

• Louisiana Tech WR commit Dedrick Latulas is the go-to big-play threat with excellent shiftiness in the open field. His versatility to catch passes out wide, in the slot and out of the backfield is intriguing, not to mention what he brings as a return specialist. The Bulldogs have a gem in their 2023 haul with Latulas.

• 2025 WR Davian Jackson saw snaps in Westgate’s backfield and scored a rushing TD early in this contest. I’d expect the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder to move out to receiver next season as they shift pieces around in the offense. Jackson is a physical runner and is going to be a force as a runner after the catch moving forward. He’s also a big target in the passing game to account for.

• Another 2025 standout to emerge has been RB Tavias Gordon, who at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds can run through contact at a fantastic level and mustered several long gains in this game by simply running through defenders and pushing the piles. Don’t be surprised to find Gordon on colleges’ radars in due time.