Central (Baton Rouge) Wildcats | Offseason 3-2-1 Spotlight

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Central (Baton Rouge) surprised many outside of the program and community in coach David Simoneaux's first season in 2023 with its first quarterfinal run in a decade.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And the Wildcats return several leaders from that team, as well as some promising younger athletes on the rise, who are eager to not only show that last season wasn't a fluke, but to build upon that early success and make a run at a potential state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Central (B.R.) continues Prep Redzone Louisiana's series of "Offseason 3-2-1" spotlights looking at three key returning standouts, two notable breakout candidates and one underclassman to know sooner than later.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3 WELL-KNOWN RETURNERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='426968' first='Jackson' last='Firmin'] — 6-3, 200 QB — Central (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats' veteran quarterback returns for his third season at the helm after a junior season in which he completed 134 of his 215 pass attempts (62.3%) for 2,008 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions — averages of 15.0 yards per completion and 9.3 yards per attempt and a 5-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Firmin has gone from the young sophomore being baptized by fire in one of the state's toughest districts to now the league's most-tenured quarterback and a gritty leader for a team with legitimate state-title goals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='914090' first='D.K.' last='Mays'] — 6-4, 250 DL — Central (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1214139' first='KD' last='Mays'] — 5-11, 210 DB/LB — Central (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of the Wildcats' top recruits in the rising senior class hail from the same household in the big defensive lineman, scheduled to announce his commitment Saturday, and the linebacker/safety with half a dozen offers of his own. Central has a defense with notable standouts at every level, but few (if any) epitomize the mentality and physicality more than the hard-hitting Mays brothers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710078' first='Steven' last='Ranel'] — 6-1, 170 DB — Central (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another of the Wildcats' college-bound prospects, Ranel is a talented and increasingly confident playmaker on the outside and one of the top cornerbacks in Louisiana's 2025 class with good size, track speed and hands — from his punch at the line to his ball skills on passes thrown his direction.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2 BREAKOUT CANDIDATES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1336756' first='Emmanuel' last='Williams'] — 5-7, 195 RB — Central (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Manny" or "Eman" was the primary complement to productive and decorated senior standout Damon Blocker last season at running back for the Wildcats — as well as a playmaking nickel who was consistently disruptive in the backfield — and takes the lead role this fall. Williams is a stout-built athlete with an explosive burst upfield, listed 4.5-second 40-yard speed and not just a willingness, but an enjoyment to play physically and power through contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710977' first='Keithon' last='Womack'] — 6-1 WR/ATH — Central (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top weapons on the outside, Womack is a smooth athlete with a good combination of size and speed, who does a nice job finding his seems in the defense and has a basketball background that shows when given the opportunity to make plays on balls in the air. The chemistry and confidence between Firmin and Womack were already evident this past fall, but a strong offseason by all accounts should set the stage for big season ahead and an upswing in recruiting attention to follow. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1 UNDERCLASSMAN TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1356113' first='Marvin' last='Joseph'] — 6-0, 170 DB/RB — Central (2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='942208' first='Mason' last='Moore'] — 5-10, 160 DB — Central (2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats have a few young 2027 prospects already worth keeping an eye on, including a couple ballhawks who look like potential future stars in the secondary. Joseph looks poised to earn as much playing time as early this season as any sophomore. And Moore, the transfer from Parkview Baptist, is a name who is already familiar to Prep Redzone Louisiana readers and college coaches, </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->