FAYETTEVILLE — When you have a long, rich high school football tradition like Texas powerhouse Desoto, you enter the Class 6A DI state playoffs brimming with confidence.
This season is no different as Arkansas wide receiver pledge Jaedon Wilson (6-3, 172) and Desoto (7-1) prepare to open playoff action Thursday at 7 p.m. at Killeen Shoemaker (8-1).
“The season has been going great for us,” Wilson said. “I think we have a real good chance of making it to the state (championship) this year. We are going in with the mindset that we are not losing, taking it one game and a time and finishing each week.
“(Shoemaker is) a pretty good team, but I feel like we are better and we just need to take care of our business.”
Desoto, which has been in the state playoffs 28 times, won it all in 2016 and plays its home games at 10,000-seat Ben Dial Stadium. It suffered its lone loss of 2020 season at Cedar Hill (49-42) on Nov. 6.
The Eagles have easily won three straight since that defeat with Region 11 Zone A District victories over Midway (63-14), Mansfield (56-7) and Waco (62-6).
“We just had that one loss to Cedar Hill this year, but we quickly put that behind us,” Wilson said. “I think we have a great coaching staff and we all have a connection and a bond that makes the team closer and we all play for each other.”
Wilson has 25 catches for 498 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
“I think the best thing I have done is my YAC (yards after catch), getting the ball on deeper down the field,” Wilson said. “I plan on continuing to do that once I get to college. I will be a deep threat and help us win games at Arkansas, just like I am doing here.”
Wilson joins Royse City, Texas, star Ketron Jackson, Oklahoma City (Okla.) John Marshall’s Bryce Stephens and Rockledge, Fla., standout Raheim “Rocket” Sanders as four incoming receivers in the 2021 class.
“Ketron and I are kind of like the same type people - not too loud, not too rowdy, just get things done,” Wilson said. “We are quiet and then we’ll just sneak up on you and slaughter you in a game.”
Wilson is thrilled with the progress the has seen at Arkansas this season.
“They have improved a lot,” Wilson said. “I have watched a lot of their games. The one I liked the most was the Auburn game, which they really won.”
He is looking forward to catching passes from Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson after watching him shine in the 50-48 loss at Missouri on Saturday.
“I like KJ a lot,” Wilson said. “Felepie (Franks) is good, too, but I liked what KJ did when he came in, how he worked in the offense and didn’t panic at all when he found out that he was going to be playing on Saturday.”
Wilson is one of 19 Arkansas commits expected to sign during the Dec. 16-18 early signing period and one of 9-10 expected to enroll in January.
“I just feel that is going to help me gain weight, strength and get faster,” Wilson said. “I will be able to get up there early, learn everything and already have a college mentality that I can take into practice and the season.”