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But Mull was an important piece on special teams, too.

That will be the DHS senior’s college calling as he signed on Wednesday to become a long snapper for Boiling Springs’ Gardner-Webb University — making him the second Wildcat to sign with the Runnin’ Bulldogs over the past three seasons, following former teammate Luke Rector.

In his final high school season, Mull caught 24 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns and notched 19 tackles on defense. He tallied 385 yards and a TD on 26 receptions as a junior, also posting 27 tackles. And as a sophomore, Mull caught nine passes for 132 yards and made 24 stops defensively.

Mull said he likes many aspects of his collegiate choice.

“The coaches there are great,” Mull said. “They’ve been really good to me and my family. From a team standpoint, the coaches are really trying to build a team bond and a culture there. That’s something I want to be a part of. The school’s great. It’s a beautiful campus and a place where I can thrive academically, as well as athletically.”

Mull has been long snapping for a few years, now, but his interest in the position and its possibilities really took off after he attended camps at Arkansas, Charlotte, Gardner-Webb, Georgia, North Carolina and North Carolina State.

“The first time that I long snapped was in seventh grade,” Mull said. “It’s something that came naturally to me. But I didn’t start taking it seriously until, I’d say, last summer, going to a bunch of camps and stuff. I just worked at it. It’s a very specialized position, and I found my niche in long snapping. That paved a way for my future, and I’m very grateful for that.”

DHS coach Chris Powell said Mull has been an important player for the Wildcats during his entire time at Draughn High School.

“I’m very proud of Jacob and his signing with Gardner-Webb,” Powell said. “Jacob has been a pivotal part of our program for the past four years. It’s been amazing to watch him grow over his career. He has been an integral part of our offense and special teams since Day 1 and has made his mark on DHS football.

“Oftentimes, long snappers are overlooked, yet play such an important role. Jacob embraced that role, worked his tail end off to be the best and passed his knowledge down to younger players.”

Mull has been part of a very successful class at Draughn, including the program’s first conference championship and a run to the NCHSAA 1A West Regional finals during his sophomore season, along with two more state playoff berths in the seasons since.

“A bunch of the guys, we’ve really become one team and brothers,” Mull said. “That’s something that’s going to last a lifetime. The coaches have been really good to me, taking care of me and pushing me, even when I didn’t want to go work out or practice. They kept me in line, and I’m grateful for it.”

Now, Mull is excited to see what comes next in his football career.

“I think the opportunity to play college football is second-to-none,” said Mull, who plans to major in business management. “It’s been a dream of mine to play college football and play on TV. I’m very excited for that opportunity.”

Powell expects his player to continue showing excellence at the college level.

“I couldn’t be happier for a young man to get the opportunity to continue doing something he loves as the next level, especially the (NCAA) Division I level,” Powell said. “Gardner-Webb is getting not only a dang good football player, but an even better young man.

“Jacob’s character and integrity will carry him a long way on the field and in life. We constantly talk about leaving things better than you found them, and I can say that Jacob, without a doubt, has left this program better than he found it.”

Mull had plenty of praise for his coaches, too, along with other key figures in his life.

“I just want to thank my coaches, my teammates and my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, because without Him, none of this would be possible. My parents, my grandparents and everyone here has been supportive of me through this journey.”