Naperville North’s Luke Williams has always been content to let his talent do the talking.

That has changed now that he’s a senior.

The Purdue recruit is ready to be more outspoken in his leadership.

“He’s always been a good leader,” Naperville North coach Sean Drendel said. “We’re just looking for him to be a little bit more a vocal guy.

“I think we’ll see that. He knows how to win, and he does really want to win. He’s a candidate to do something special.”

The 6-foot, 177-pound Williams has been a special player ever since he became only the third freshman — and the first since quarterback Greg Wunderlich in 2001 — to play varsity football for the Huskies.

“If it wasn’t for playing only three games his freshman year because of COVID, he would have shattered every record we have,” Drendel said. “He already has broken many of our records and will probably hold every record we have at whatever position he plays.”

Drendel said Williams has a chance to graduate as Naperville North’s career leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and all-purpose yards — and wide receiver isn’t even the position he will play in college. Purdue is planning to use him as a safety.

“I feel some of my best skills right now are getting in and out of my breaks as a DB and tracking the ball,” he said. “I feel like that one makes me real special because not a lot of defensive players can track the ball like I can.”

But Williams is keeping track of more than the ball this season.

“I have to get my teammates involved in everything, even if we have an optional workout, making sure everybody is in attendance and making sure we’re working hard while we’re doing it,” he said. “I’m making sure people are on time and I’m on time for everything because as a leader you have to do what coaches do.

“Sometimes you’ve even got to be there way earlier to make sure everything is set up and stuff like that.”

Williams said he’s modeling himself after his older brother, Zeke, a cornerback at Purdue.

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“Zeke has very good leadership skills,” Williams said. “He was always talking. I feel like I’ve been a physical leader, like showing you what you’re supposed to do, but I feel like he’s taught me how to be a vocal leader.”

Drendel has been happy, but not surprised, with what he’s seen so far of Williams’ increased leadership.

“He’s done a really good job with that,” Drendel said. “Luke is a great kid, as everyone who has been around him knows. We’re excited to see what he does this year because I think he can do something really special.”

Last season, Williams caught 42 passes for 614 yards and five touchdowns and also had 30 tackles and three interceptions. Those numbers could increase, and he has a chance to become the first four-time all-conference player in the history of the DuPage Valley Conference, which was founded in 1975 and has several former alums playing in the NFL.

That’s heady stuff, and fans can expect to see plenty of Williams on the field this season.

“You want to use him as little as possible,” Drendel said. “But to be honest, we’re going to use him when we need him and try to give him his rest when he needs it. If you know Luke well enough, there’s not a lot of him wanting to come out.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.