Warrenton senior Caleb Strauss was one of many high school seniors who took advantage of a new NCAA rule that allowed athletes to sign letters of intent last week.

Students were given a 72-hour window from Dec. 20-22 to finalize their commitments.

Previously, they weren’t allowed to sign until early February.

Strauss took advantage of the rule and signed with  the Southeast Missouri State football program Wednesday evening.

“Now that I’m able to sign earlier, I can talk to (Strength and Conditioning) Coach (Ryan) Napoli, and he said he can start getting me prepped for all the things I need to do lifting- and eating-wise,” Strauss said. “Now I can start making my gains.”

Strauss verbally committed to the Redhawks in August, but he was also chased by Wyoming, a Division-I program in the Mountain West Conference.

SEMO, however, offered him more stability.

“Ever since I committed back in August, I’ve been a full-go toward SEMO,” Strauss said. “I had looks from Wyoming, and got a preferred walk-on spot, but it was either possibly miss out on a chance at a full-ride education, or have it paid for the whole way. So ever since SEMO offered, I was ready to go.”

Strauss, a second-team all-state selection, caught 39 passes this season for 548 yards and eight touchdowns.

A 6-foot-8, 230-pound tight end, Strauss said he expects to look different next fall.

“I weighed 230 when I went down there on my official visit, and they said I can carry 255 or 260 easily,” he said of the SEMO coaching staff. “They said it would mostly go to my legs, so I’m ready to go. There will be a lot of meals and a lot of lifting in my future.”

Strauss said he plans on redshirting next season before beginning his playing career in the fall of 2019.

“I’ll lift four days out of the week, and then I’ll practice,” he said. “But as long as I’m progressing and getting myself better, I’m down with that.”