Texas Tech-Bound Patrick Mahomes Headlines Nine-Member Whitehouse Signing Class

WHITEHOUSE -- Whitehouse senior Patrick Mahomes still has some big decisions to make, but for now, he's a Texas Tech Red Raider.

Mahomes, one of the state's top multi-sport athletes, officially signed his letter of intent to play football for Texas Tech during a ceremony at the Whitehouse High School auditorium on Wednesday.

The Wildcats' two-year starter at quarterback made it official after committing to head coach Kliff Kingsbury and the Red Raiders last spring.

"It's awesome," Mahomes said. "I committed early and it was a great feeling then. But to actually sign the paper and become an official Red Raider, I've been waiting for a long time to finally get there."

Mahomes had an incredible senior season, leading Whitehouse to a 12-1 record and the third round of the playoffs for only the second time in school history. He passed for 4,619 yards and 50 touchdowns with six interceptions, and rushed for a team-best 940 yards and 15 scores.

He was recently named the state's Player of the Year by the Associated Press Sports Editors as well as earning ETSN.fm Super Team Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors. His 619 passing yards in Whitehouse's 65-60 regional-semfinal playoff loss to Mesquite Poteet are good enough for third-most in state history.

"He's very mature and that was something that we noticed early at a young age," Whitehouse coach Adam Cook said of Mahomes. "Coaches would talk about how this kid's special, you could just see it in him … the knowledge that he has of the game, the things he sees that sometimes other people wouldn't see. His parents have done a great job of raising him, but at the end of the day he still had to make the choices about who he is. You can't say enough about his character, and he's got great things ahead of him."

In addition to his prowess on the gridiron, Mahomes is also considered one of the top high school baseball prospects for June's Major League Baseball Draft. His father, Pat Mahomes, graduated from Lindale before enjoying an 11-year MLB career.

Patrick said the chance of turning pro in baseball remains a possibility.

"It's always a possibility," he said. "I don't want high school to be the end of my football career. I'll just have to weigh my options when the time comes. But right now, I'm glad to be a Red Raider."

Patrick's father knows all about the lure of turning pro after high school, having been selected by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 1988 draft.

"We talk about it," Pat Sr. said of his son's potential future in baseball. "We have a lot of house guests; a lot of pro scouts are coming through and kinda giving us a picture of where he's going to go (in the draft). A lot depends on what he does this year. It's his decision, and he's experienced it with me, so he knows what it's like in the minor leagues and he knows what it's like in the major leagues. He'll just have to make a big-boy decision when that time comes."

Dad make it clear he has full confidence in his son's decision-making.

"We've always had dialogue," he said. "That's one of the great things about it. I've got a son that can say whatever he wants and he knows that I'm going to listen to him. He's made a lot of great decisions, he makes good grades and he's done everything you can ask of him. So when the times comes, I think he'll be able to make his own mind up and me and his mom will support him in whatever way he goes."

Other Whitehouse football signees were linebacker Reggie Long and nose tackle Kostin Wallace (Tarleton State), wide receiver Jaylon Dews (Southern Arkansas), linebacker Joseph Klein (Ouachita Baptist), defensive back Chris Reese and receivers Jake Parker and Coleman Patterson (Tyler Junior College).

Cross country and track standout Chaynee Atwood also signed with Lamar.

Wallace (5-11, 330) had a breakout senior season, finishing with 42 tackles, four loss and three sacks. He'll head to Division II Tarleton State with classmate Reggie Long, who had 92 tackles, 13 for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two recoveries from his middle linebacker position.

"I've always loved playing with Reggie," Wallace said. "Reggie's a linebacker that's always had my back. Together, we've made a lot of great things happen. Me being able to depend on him and him being able to depend on me, that's just a special bond between a linebacker and a nose and it'd be great to have that at the next level."

Three Whitehouse players will remain teammates at TJC, including Parker and Patterson, who will be rooming together in the fall.

"It's a great experience to get to play at the next level," Parker said. "I get to play and some other people don't get to. I'll be roommates with my best friend and a great player in Coleman Patterson. To be able to play with other people at Whitehouse, it's great."

Whitehouse's 2014 College Football Signees

Jaylon Dews

• School: Southern Arkansas
• Position: Wide receiver
• Height: 6-0
• Weight: 165
• 2013 stats: 47 catches, 697 yards, 12 TDs
• 2013 accolades: ETSN.fm Super Team honorable mention selection
• Whitehouse football coach Adam Cook on Dews: "Jaylon was another one of our great receivers. He's got a lot of skill and he's very athletic. He's one of those guys you want your kids to grow up to be like as far as his character. He's got a great future and he's got a great head on his shoulders."

Joseph Klein

• School: Ouachita Baptist
• Position: Outside linebacker
• Height: 6-0
• Weight: 180
• 2013 stats: 94 tackles, 9 for loss, 5 sacks, QB pressures, 1 fumble recovery
• 2013 accolades: District 16-4A first-team selection
• Cook on Klein: "Joseph's a hard worker, he's the picture of hard work to me. We open up the weight room early in the morning and he's a kid that's there at 5:30. I'm very excited for him that all this hard work has paid off. He's one of those guys that you look at and doesn't have all the numbers … may not have the speed some of the others have, but the boy makes plays. Ouachita Baptist saw that and that's why they picked him up."

Reggie Long

• School: Tarleton State
• Position: Middle linebacker
• Height: 6-0
• Weight: 218
• 2013 stats: 92 tackles, 13 for loss, 2 sacks, 2 QB pressures, 2 INTs, 2 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries
• 2013 accolades: ETSN.fm Super Team first-team selection, District 16-4A Defensive MVP
• Cook on Long: "You talk about somebody that loves the game of football. He's been handed a lot of adversity … I don't know much (his late-season injury) affected some of his recruiting, but he loves to compete and he's always got a smile on his face. Reggie was very good about encouraging me as a football coach. Reggie was one of the first ones that said 'coach, I'm glad you got the job.' He's positive, he loves the game and he's got a bright, bright future."

Patrick Mahomes

• School: Texas Tech
• Position: Quarterback
• Height: 6-3
• Weight: 203
• 2013 passing stats: 287 of 495, 4,619 yards, 50 TDs, 6 INTs
• 2013 rushing stats: 157 carries, 940 yards, 15 TDs
• 2013 accolades: Parade All-American honorable mention selection, APSE Texas Player of the Year, ETSN.fm Super Team Co-Offensive Player of the Year, District 16-4A MVP
• Cook on Mahomes: "Patrick has been a huge reason for the success we've had. More than anything else, and I've said this from the get-go, has been his leadership. I don't know that I've ever coached anyone that's represented competitive greatness the way that he does. For me personally, this being my first year, the success we've had goes to him and to his teammates, too. I don't think you can say enough about what Patrick Mahomes has meant to this program."

Jake Parker

• School: Tyler Junior College
• Position: Wide receiver
• Height: 6-0
• Weight: 165
• 2013 stats: 71 catches, 1,629 yards, 14 TDs
• 2013 accolades: ETSN.fm Super Team second-team selection, District 16-4A first-team selection
• Cook on Parker: "Boy, what a great competitor. Jake loves to compete and he loves to play the game. Jake was a possession receiver for us this past year and in crunch time the things he was able to do … his numbers speak for themselves. One of the first things I think about when I think of Jake Parker is his toughness and how often he played both ways. He played at punt returner, then he's over at corner and other times he played safety. At receiver, early in his career he was an inside guy and we moved him to the outside spot. He had some offers from some other schools, but really Jake didn't want to do that. He's a competitor and he wants to go Division I and doesn't want to walk on."

Coleman Patterson

• School: Tyler Junior College
• Position: Wide receiver
• Height: 6-0
• Weight: 165
• 2013 stats: 41 catches, 719 yards, 8 TDs
• 2013 accolades: ETSN.fm Super Team honorable mention selection, District 16-4A first-team selection
• Cook on Patterson: "Coleman Patterson is another great leader. He's probably one of the fastest receivers that we've had at that inside spot. The things that he was able to do (before a late-season injury) we really missed once we got into the playoffs. He's someone who works hard and busts his tail in and out of the weight room. The thing that I look forward to seeing with him is him getting into a weight program where all he's doing is playing football."

Chris Reese

• School: Tyler Junior College
• Position: Outside linebacker/defensive back
• Height: 5-11
• Weight: 160
• 2013 stats: 67 tackles, 7 for loss, 3 sacks, 11 QB pressures, 1 forced fumble, 4 recoveries, 1 blocked punt
• 2013 accolades: ETSN.fm Super Team honorable mention selection, District 16-4A first-team selection
• Cook on Reese: "Chris Reese is another great athlete. I think he's one who (TJC) got a steal in getting him to commit and come over and play. He's probably one of the fastest kids we have as far as changing direction; I don't know that we've had a faster kid. He started off at corner, played a little bit of safety and we moved him to outside linebacker. It'll be interesting to see where (TJC) puts him. He comes from a rough background. He lost his mother at the age of 5 and lives with an aunt here in town. You can't help but be excited for him to have this opportunity."

Kostin Wallace

• School: Tarleton State
• Position: Nose tackle
• Height: 5-11
• Weight: 330
• 2013 stats: 42 tackles, 4 for loss, 3 sacks, 21 QB pressures
• 2013 accolades: ETSN.fm Super Team third-team selection, District 16-4A first-team selection
• Cook on Wallace: "There was a time when I was running the offseason program, and I didn't know if I was going to be the guy. But when I would look out there he was one guy who I could see in his eyes that he believed in what I was saying. Getting up each day and not knowing, he really inspired me. He played with injuries his junior year and didn't get to play like he wanted to. And because of the injury it adds to a weight issue. He was out of shape, but we came in and do four quarters at the very beginning of the season and it took him a while to pass those four quarters. But he kept coming in and was very persistent, and now to be where he is."