Seagoville does not need every returning player to become a star in 2026. It needs several Dragons to make the jump from supporting roles into dependable weekly contributors.
The challenge is especially real on defense, where graduation removed several experienced players, and at quarterback, where the preseason picture remains unsettled.
Established names such as Kollin Williams, James Roberts, Jayln Beauchamp, and Josiah Royal are not included here. This list focuses on Dragons whose roles could grow significantly this fall.
Devionte Smith, RB/DB
- 2025 stats: 185 rushing yards, 3 TD on 15 carries
- Breakout path: A larger offensive role paired with increased defensive snaps
Smith may be the most intriguing breakout candidate on the roster. He did not receive a large workload last season, but he consistently made something happen on the touches he did get.
With Kelveion Gates gone, Seagoville has carries available. Kollin Williams and Rickey Wilkins Jr. are established options, but the Dragons do not need to replace Gates with a single feature back, and Smith’s explosiveness gives the coaching staff another way to divide the workload. His defensive back experience could matter just as much for a secondary replacing senior contributors.
Andrew Hernandez, QB/CB
- 2025 stats: 65 percent completion rate on meaningful varsity snaps
- Breakout path: Emerging as Seagoville’s primary quarterback
Hernandez could become one of the most important players on the roster depending on how the quarterback competition unfolds. He was more than an emergency option last season, and he returns as a junior while Seagoville enters August without a clearly established starter.
Kollin Williams also has experience at the position, and the Dragons could ultimately use more than one player there. But Hernandez has already shown he can operate the offense at the varsity level, and winning the job, or even a substantial share of it, would change his role considerably from a year ago.
Francis Perkins, WR/DB
- Status: Varsity rotation player, junior
- Breakout path: Becoming the No. 2 or No. 3 receiver while earning a larger defensive role
Perkins enters 2026 with opportunity on both sides of the ball. His receiving numbers were limited as a sophomore, but he was already part of the varsity rotation and remains on the current preseason roster.
Adam West’s graduation opens a clear path at receiver. Roberts enters the year as Seagoville’s most proven returning target, but someone else needs to emerge behind him, and Perkins has the experience to make that move. His defensive back background adds further value given the Dragons’ need for new contributors in the secondary.
Diego Ayala, DL/OT
- Experience: Defensive end and offensive tackle in 2025
- Breakout path: Developing into a leader of the defensive front
Ayala is exactly the type of player Seagoville needs to take a step forward. He returns as a senior with experience along the defensive front, an area hit hard by the graduations of Darryl Donahue and Twone Long, and that departure leaves both snaps and leadership responsibilities open.
Ayala does not need to become a dominant pass rusher overnight. A steady edge defender who holds up against the run and creates occasional pressure would make Seagoville’s defensive rebuild considerably easier.
Daniel Pius, OL/DL
- Profile: Senior, approximately 270 pounds
- Breakout path: Turning rotational experience into a larger two way or defensive line role
Pius has been part of Seagoville’s experienced offensive line group alongside Royal and Davien Rucker, but 2026 could be the season his defensive role grows in importance. Royal is already an established all district player, and Pius has a real opportunity to give the Dragons another dependable interior presence.
That matters because Seagoville’s offense cannot be asked to solve every game. The defense needs players who can control the line of scrimmage against more physical opponents such as South Oak Cliff and Poteet.
Ladarious Williams, Sophomore
- Status: On the current preseason roster, no established varsity statistical record
- Breakout path: Forcing his way into the varsity rotation during the first month
Williams is the wild card on this list. He appears on Seagoville’s preseason roster, but there is not yet enough varsity production available to project a specific position or statistical role, which is exactly why he qualifies as a true breakout candidate rather than an established contributor. Seagoville’s roster includes several young players who could emerge once practices and early season games settle the rotation, and Williams is one of the names worth watching.
The Biggest Opportunity Is on Defense
The offensive candidates on this list are easier to identify because Seagoville returns several players with varsity production already on record. Defense is different. The Dragons lost multiple senior leaders and need new starters at several positions, which creates real opportunity for players who did not put up large statistical totals in 2025 but have spent a year developing inside the program.
Ayala and Pius are among the more experienced candidates, while Perkins and Smith could take on larger two way responsibilities. Seagoville likely will not know all of its breakout players before opening night, and someone outside this group entirely may still force their way into significant playing time.
If Smith becomes another explosive weapon, Hernandez provides stability at quarterback, and two or three defenders emerge around the returning veterans, Seagoville’s roster will look considerably deeper by October than it does in August. That development may be exactly what the Dragons need to outperform their preseason projections and return to the playoffs.
