MACON — Talk about a hectic Friday for Noxubee County. On October 14, while the Tigers were preparing for an important district home game, two players signed to play college ball.

One of the best quarterback/wide receiver tandems among Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A schools, Kamario Taylor and Dequadrion Welch announced their college commitments last week.

Taylor will be headed to the Southeastern Conference and Mississippi State, while Welch is headed to the Delta and FCS program Mississippi Valley State.

Welch, knowing the star power that Noxubee lost at the wide receiver position due to graduation, had a goal to become WR1.

“I trained and worked to get faster,” Welch said. “Me and Kamario, our bond already was there, but I knew I had to be his wide receiver No. 1 this year, so I stepped up and made plays to take over the role from AJ [Little Jr.].”

Not having Anthony Little Jr. this season originally proved to be difficult, but those worries went away as Welch evolved into a three-star receiver for the Tigers.

Through eight games, he’s more than made his mark, recording 48 receptions for 826 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns.

His senior year numbers either match or exceed his numbers from his first three years combined, undeniable proof of where he’s at as a player and a playmaker this season.

“He’s always here, always working hard,” Noxubee County head coach Teddy Young said. “He dedicated himself to becoming a better football player and it’s paying off.”

As his offensive workload has increased this season, so has his production, and Welch is now averaging more than 100 receiving yards per game compared to just over 45 yards per game last season. Opponents, it seems, have taken notice.

Welch is now marked constantly during games, but his physicality has allowed him to take over in situations where the Tigers need to get the ball in his hands, get a first down, or make a big play.

That’s what attracted the Delta Devils to the 5-9 senior prospect.

“They’ve been talking to me ever since the state championship game last year,” Welch said. “They just keep growing a relationship with me. I went down there for a camp this summer and I did well. When they threw out the offer, they said they were going to be waiting on me. … The way they use guys like me, I feel like I’ll be able to make plays there.”

The Noxubee County pipeline to college and the pros continues to produce, and remains both a point of emphasis and a motivation as players prepare themselves to compete at the next level.

For all the talk about the future, though, there’s still time left this season for Welch to make one final impression during his high school career. The Tigers are currently jostling for postseason position, and Welch is ready to keep grinding out wins and make a run for it in November.

“It feels good to represent,” Welch said. “For our young receivers, I hope this motivates them a little more and makes them go harder. … I told coach, ‘I’ll play anything: offense, defense, whatever it takes to go win state.’”