Peterson: Iowa State football has capable replacements for All-American corner T.J. Tampa

AMES — It’s in the genes for Jontez Williams to be a football player, and a very good one, at that.

His father, Andrew Williams, starred at Miami (FL) back in the early 2000s, before becoming a third-round NFL Draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers.

Now, Jontez may be on the threshold of getting his opportunity, as well, considering Iowa State football is searching for someone to play the cornerback spot that soon-to-be-pro T.J. Tampa manned so well during recent seasons.

That position is one of just two on defense where the starters aren’t returning, which says something about the talent pool for a defense that again should be one of the Big 12’s finest.

Besides Tampa, who has second-day NFL Draft projections, linebacker Gerry Vaughn also used up his eligibility last season. Nine starters returning proves the defense can be great during a 2024 season that starts Aug. 31 against North Dakota at Jack Trice Stadium.

“Our whole (defensive) room has played,” defensive coordinator Jon Heacock said this spring. “I went to a team meeting, and I remember saying we’re going to need every guy in here — don’t look around and expect somebody else to do something. We’re going to need all of you.”

More: Iowa State football's lockdown cornerback T.J. Tampa is an Associated Press All-American

Williams, a redshirt sophomore in the fall, started last season’s final game – the Liberty Bowl against Memphis – after Tampa opted not to play. That could give him the edge to be the Week 1 starter, but then again, no one is taking anything for granted.

“Everybody’s confident in who they are,” cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat said Wednesday. “I don’t think they’re trying to be T.J. They’re all competitors.”

Darien Porter has looked good at the cornerback position opposite Myles Purchase, too. There’s also Quentin Taylor Jr., among the scholarship players currently on campus at the position.

Williams, though, might be the No. 1 candidate -based strictly on starting the bowl game- to get the first crack at the position Tampa played so well last season.

“Jontez, so far, has had a really good spring,” Poteat said. “Once the season was over, Jontez started working towards all the different areas where he needed to grow. His attention to detail – doing more than what’s required and doing the little things off the field – all those different areas have carried over.”

I don’t know how this correlates, but Williams’ path to becoming a cornerback included something very similar to that of Tampa, the player he’s trying to replace. Both played as much receiver in high school as they did defensive back.

“That helps me in a lot of ways – like knowing how receivers run their routes,” Williams said Wednesday. “Coming from receiver to defensive back – it wasn’t really a hard transition. I knew a little bit.

“I can think of a route that a receiver may be running. I can anticipate it.”

And then there’s the father factor – even though Jontez’s dad was a 6-foot-1, 267-pound defensive lineman.

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“He was huge,” the 5-11, 200-pound son said. “It’s cool. I still have that dawg in me. He played at the highest levels. He gave me a lot of knowledge.”

That’s two pretty good mentors.

“T.J., left a lot of experience,” Jontez Williams said. “He showed us a lot of things. He’s been a great mentor to all of us.”

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. recently pegged Tampa to be a second-round choice by the Arizona Cardinals.

Wherever he goes, he’s left a lasting impression on his former teammates. That includes something that Poteat hopes will become second nature to Williams.

“I definitely use a lot of examples on tape of T.J.,” Poteat said. “One of them was playing consistently physical.”

Tampa could be a vicious tackler when the opportunity presented itself. Interestingly, that’s a trait receiver Jaylin Noel has seen this spring in Williams.

“He’s had a tremendous progression,” Noel said Wednesday. “He looks like a completely different guy. Developing his body – that’s one of the biggest things he’s done. He’s taking care of himself nutritionally.

“He’s advancing his knowledge on the field. He’s making plays quicker; tracking the ball quicker. He’s going to be phenomenal.”

And speaking of phenomenal . . .

Considering Iowa State is expected to have one of the Big 12’s finer collections of receivers, I asked Jontez which Cyclones’ receiver was the toughest to defend. I asked, knowing that Noel was being interviewed on the opposite side of the room.

“That’s a tough one – Jaylin or Jayden (Higgins), for sure,” Williams said. “They’re both elite receivers. They give you different perspectives. I can learn a lot from them.”

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson is in his 52nd year writing sports for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, on X @RandyPete, and at DesMoinesRegister.com/CyclonesTexts

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Peterson: Iowa State football has options to replace T.J. Tampa