It's every football player's dream to one day make it to Canton. Marion senior cornerback Tucker Brown made that dream a reality last week. Well, sort of. Brown signed a letter of intent a week ago to play college football at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri. The Culver-Stockton Wildcats finished 5-6 in 2022, with a 3-2 mark in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. “I couldn't be more thankful and appreciative right now,” said Brown. “None of this would be possible without God and without my family. I can't thank my family enough. I'm excited and I'm gonna be ready to go in the fall.” Marion head football coach Lance Clark referred to Brown as the “ultimate program player,” earlier this year after the senior defensive back played very little as a sophomore and junior, but Brown cracked the starting lineup at cornerback eight times as a senior. “I'm super proud of him because everything he's gotten in this game he's had to work at and earn,” said Clark. “He's come a long way as a football player. Not really the other stuff, he's always been a high-character kid with good grades and he does and carries himself the right way. Nothing in football was ever given to him, but he found a way to make it to the next level. It's a great story and we are all incredibly proud of him.” Brown said his work ethic grew over time, but there was one person who made sure his academics stayed on track. “My mom keeps up with my grades and stuff and didn't let me slip there,” said Brown. “She's the main reason that my grades are so important to me.” Brown said that Marion's 2021 run to the state semifinals made him realize that he wanted to pursue a football career after high school. “After we played El Dorado, I made it a goal that I wanted to play in college,” said Brown. “I watched film, hit weights, did all the stuff I felt I needed to do to become a better player.” “Tucker is really the model of what I want our football program to become here at Marion,” said Clark. “Someone who worked his way into becoming an extremely productive, impressive player. He's not just a talented guy, but he's someone who grew into an important piece through hard work. I couldn't be more proud of a young man.”