Few Louisiana football programs have been more consistently successful the past decade-plus than Zachary with four state titles, five championship appearances and 10 semifinals in the past 12 years in the state’s highest classification level.
And before many of its stars were Broncos — let alone in some cases Tigers, Cajuns, Lions or even professional players — they were developing Elite foundations as part of a local youth program aimed to prepare them for success and the next — and even highest — level.
Zachary Junior Broncos Elite will kick off its 14th season Friday with another stout seventh- and eighth-grade squad of promising young athletes eager to live up to its name and tradition which includes a long list of notable alumni that includes two dozen current Division-I players and a couple NFL rookies battling for roster spots.
“We founded Zachary Elite Football 14 years ago with one clear vision: to create a developmental platform for young athletes beginning at the age of 5 and prepare them to compete at Zachary High School and beyond,” coach Ralph Walker Jr. said. “I’ve always had tremendous respect for (John Curtis) coach J.T. Curtis and the way his program develops players from an early age while building a seamless transition into high school football. That model has been an inspiration to us. We’re equally grateful for the partnership and support we’ve received from Zachary High School’s freshman coaches and varsity staff, who have embraced our vision from the beginning.”
Quarterback Keilon Brown was among those early Junior Broncos before going on to lead the big Broncos to two Class 5A championships and continue his career at Memphis and Georgia State.
Wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. signed with LSU as one of Louisiana’s stop prospects and is currently working with the Green Bay Packers during the preseason, while defensive lineman Kameron Hamilton wrapped up a productive Tulane career this past year and worked with the New Orleans Saints this offseason.
Defensive tackle Landen Thomas and edge rusher Ashley Williams Jr. starred together at Zachary High, signed together with Arizona State and will play this season with UNLV and Louisiana (Lafayette), respectively.
And defensive tackles Richard Anderson and Daverin “Deuce” Geralds II were Junior Broncos teammates before moving to New Orleans and Georgia, respectively, and eventually reuniting this spring at LSU where they have excelled all offseason and are poised for major roles as true freshmen.
“I’ve been blessed to coach countless outstanding young men over the years—far too many to name individually,” Walker said. “Today, we’re proud to have 24 former Zachary Elite players currently competing at the Division-I level, along with two former players currently earning opportunities in NFL training camps: Chris Hilton Jr. and Kameron Hamilton.
“Our mission has never been to claim we’re the best. Instead, we strive to provide the very best environment for young athletes to grow. I believe our coaching staff is second to none. Our players receive instruction from former high school coaches and former Division-I athletes who all share the same purpose and passion for mentoring young people. Because our values align, our message is consistent, and our players benefit from that unity.”
Former Junior Broncos have consistently expressed pride in their memories participating with the program and gratitude for the preparation they felt it provided them to transition smoothly to high school and succeed at that level and beyond.
Conditioning and physicality are clear emphases in practice with highly competitive tackling periods mixed into the more skill- and scheme-focused instruction periods and post-practice gassers.
“Coach Ralph, we do hitting, and we do a lot of running,” smiled Braylon Poydras, an eighth-grade cornerback who is more than willing and effective as a tackler in space. “That’s what I like to do, though. He gets us prepared for the high school level, though.”
Ashley Williams’ brother, Ashton Williams, admitted not all of that work is particularly exciting in real-time, but that he and his teammates have gained appreciation as they’ve seen results.
“I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t really want to do all those things,” admitted the younger Williams, a versatile eighth-grade defensive standout and all-around athlete who has been a part of the Zachary Elite program since he was 5. “But once they were done and I’m seeing it all pay off out here, it’s a great feeling.”
And the team faces a challenging schedule every year, with Walker citing experience against the top competition as building “confidence, discipline and character, while never losing sight of sportsmanship and respect for the game.”
Zachary will open this season with jamborees against St. George at 7 p.m. Friday at Parkview Baptist and against Jesuit at 10 a.m. next Saturday at Northshore.
The regular-season slate includes Parkview Baptist, Walker’s alma mater St. Augustine, Central, University Lab, West Feliciana, Holy Cross and St. George.
And the roster features several talented young players, many of whom return with experience for a strong campaign a year ago and even, like Williams, have participated with Zachary Elite since they were old enough to first touch a football field.
“Last year we had a good team — strong, fast, physical — and this year I see the same traits in this team, and I feel like we’re gonna go undefeated,” said quarterback and outside linebacker Carter Jackson. “They tell us to be confident and just go out there and play our game and be a team.”
Added running back and linebacker Zayden Quebedeaux: “We’re just working hard, trying to get to the season and trying to go undefeated. We’re making sure our team just pushes through and stays strong… Our mindset (gives us confidence), and we work hard to get to where we want to be.”
In addition to the talent and experience on this year’s roster, a new addition to the coaching staff provides another special storyline this fall.
Walker’s son, Ralph III, wrapped up his college career last year after playing cornerback at LSU and Southeastern Louisiana, and has been excited to come pay his experiences forward to the next generation of Junior Broncos.
“One of the greatest blessings of this journey has been watching my own son, Ralph Walker III, progress through the very developmental path Zachary Elite was created to provide,” Ralph Walker Jr. said. “Beginning as a young player in our program, he went on to start 29 varsity games at Zachary High School before continuing his collegiate career at LSU and later Southeastern Louisiana University. While I’m proud of his accomplishments on the field, I’m even more proud of the man he has become.
“Today, he has come full circle by giving back to the next generation as an outstanding secondary coach. Watching him pour into young athletes with the same passion, discipline, and servant’s heart that shaped his own journey is one of the most meaningful rewards of my coaching career. To me, that is the true measure of success—not simply producing great football players, but developing leaders who return to serve their communities.”
