Top Louisiana Recruit and LSU Target Transfers to Join Loaded Westgate Program

Highly coveted Louisiana defensive back Karon Eugene has transferred schools with a couple of months remaining in his junior year.

Karon Eugene Made the Move to Westgate Last Week

A 6-foot-2, 170-pound safety, Eugene enrolled at Westgate High last week after previously playing for Catholic High (Catholic NI). Both schools are in New Iberia and are located only a few miles from each other.

Highly Rated in Louisiana and the Nation

Eugene is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 5 player in Louisiana, the nation's No. 7 safety and overall No. 88 player. LSU, Ohio State and Michigan are among the schools that have offered Eugene, who told High School on SI last year that LSU stood out among his favorites.

Both Catholic High and Westgate have enjoyed recent success. The Panthers won the Division III select state championship during Eugene's sophomore season. He intercepted Dunham five-star quarterback Elijah Haven in the end zone to secure the win for the No. 7 Panthers, who eliminated the top three seeds to claim the title.

Westgate, which signs more college football players than any area school, won the Class 4A title in 2021.

Already Fitting In at His New School

Eugene, who was in the student section for Westgate's basketball playoff loss to Neville on Tuesday, played hoops at Catholic High and was a starter before leaving the team several weeks ago. He also started last year and helped the Panthers to the Division III select quarterfinals.

Eugene is a Big-Time Playmaker on the Defensive Side of the Ball

As a sophomore, Eugene intercepted eight passes (returned two for touchdowns) and blocked three punts for a 13-1 team. Catholic NI reached the quarterfinals as a No. 9 seed before losing at Lafayette Christian last year.

Eugene will be part of a Westgate program that expects to be a favorite to win Division II nonselect in football and basketball next year. The Class 4A Tigers, who are moving down from Division I - which is dominated by Class 5A schools - are sophomore-heavy in both sports with the likes of four-star 2028 football prospects Cayden Lancelin and Chance Archangel.

Lancelin was the leading scorer for a Westgate basketball team that earned a No. 5 seed in the playoffs. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 1 sophomore football player in Louisiana, the No. 2 athlete in the country and overall No. 59 prospect. Archangel is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 2 player in Louisiana, No. 10 edge (defensive end/linebacker) and No. 92 prospect.

Eugene's father, Hiram Eugene, played professional football and prepped locally at Jeanerette High. Both Hiram Eugene and Westgate head coach Ryan Antoine played collegiately at Louisiana Tech.