EDNA — Braylen Harris' college plans haven't changed. He wants to play Division I FBS football.
Edna's do-it-all star for the past three seasons made his initial collegiate plans official Wednesday morning, signing to play with Blinn Junior College in Brenham.
"I like the fact that it's a place to develop and they market their players to Division I schools," Harris said. "I like the environment over there. It's just a start and I feel like it's somewhere I can invest in myself."
Harris played all over the field for the Cowboys in 2024, winning the District 15-3A MVP while scoring 30 touchdowns and snagging 10 interceptions defensively. Harris received numerous college offers for his efforts, even some Division I FCS offers from Murray State University in Kentucky and Florida A&M University.
Ultimately, however, Harris has his sights set on the FBS and see's Blinn, a program that consistently sends players to power conference schools as the ultimate proving ground.
"Being under recruited in high school will always give me something to be motivated about," Harris said. "I'm always going to have something to work toward, and now I'm just going to put my head down and go to work."
Joining Harris in Brenham will be his former quarterback, Chase Schubert, although he will not be Harris' quarterback at the next level. Schubert will arrive in Brenham learning new positions—tight end and long snapper.
"It's exciting to start something new. I'm actually going to a long-snapping coach in San Antonio," Schubert said. "I'm just looking to improve so I can be the best that I can when I get there."
Schubert did not get to play a lot of high school football, missing his first three seasons due to injury. His motivations going to Blinn are similar to Harris'—the player development and pedigree of the program excites him as he looks for his future university home.
"Blinn is all about getting there and doing your job," Schubert said. I feel like they're going to get me to the spot where I need and I'm excited."
Whit Martin has been a stalwart on defense for the Cowboys during their postseason runs in 2022, 23 and 24. Now he is off to play for one of the top programs in Division II football—Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado.
"I wanted somewhere I could go play great football and get a great degree," Martin said. "I feel like at Mines I can do both and the degree is what separated it from other schools."
Along with a reputation as a top engineering school, Colorado School of Mines has been a powerhouse in Division II football. The Orediggers played for the Division II national championship in 2022 and 2023, and have made the Division II playoffs in six of the last seven seasons.
"It's a special place, and I'm excited to go there because the coaches believe in me," Martin said. "Now I have to go in and work hard and hopefully I can bring some swag with my play style to their defensive line."
Edna's Peyton McCarrell will also be joining a collegiate powerhouse, but at the Division III level at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton.
"Obviously, it's a nice place and a nice campus and that got my attention. But, it was about the coaches, they wanted me," McCarrell said. "I felt like I was wanted. The way they treated me stood out and it felt like this was the place to go."
UMHB made it to the Division III semifinals in 2024 and won national championships in 2016 and 2018. After winning a lot of games at Edna, joining a program with a history of success was important to McCarrell.
"I knew it would be hard to go to a school that wasn't winning consistently," McCarrell said. "I didn't want to go from always winning to dropping off, but I think this will be a good transition and I'm excited to be around that feeling of winning again."
