When it comes to small-school success stories on the collegiate level, the Big Country has a number of notable ones.

There’s Case Keenum and Colt McCoy, who rode outstanding high school careers at Wylie and Jim Ned, respectively, to record-setting college careers at Houston and Texas before earning extended opportunities in the NFL.

There’s Stamford product James Washington, who moved on after back-to-back state titles for the Bulldogs to earn the Biletnikoff award at Oklahoma State as the nation’s top receiver, before being drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Then there’s Munday’s L.J. Collier, a state champion for the Moguls who just wrapped up a senior season at TCU that saw him earn first-team All-Big 12 honors on the defensive line.

If Merkel athlete Jonah White has his way, he’ll be the next on that list.

White, who closed his Badger career this fall with a monster senior season, took the first step toward that goal Tuesday, when he signed a letter of intent to play for coach Matt Rhule and the Baylor Bears in front of a crowd of family and friends in the Merkel High School auditorium.