Wes Welker: The Early Years

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Big%20brother%20Lee%20is%20four%20years%20his%20senior.

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Wes%26%238217%3Bs%20parents%20say%20he%20was%20always%20adventurous.

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%26%238220%3BHe%20put%20his%20dirty%20gym%20socks%20that%20he%20had%20worn%20playing%20all%20day%2C%20and%20put%20them%20in%20my%20pillow%20case%20when%20I%26%238217%3Bm%20trying%20to%20sleep%26%238230%3BWe%20had%20twin%20beds%20and%20I%20just%20remember%20him%20over%20there%20laughing.%26%238221%3B

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Wes%20Welker%26%238217%3Bs%20parents%20shared%20some%20of%20their%20favorite%20childhood%20pictures%20with%20WBZ.

According%20to%20Wes%26%238217%3Bs%20parents%2C%20he%20put%20on%20his%20first%20football%20uniform%20at%20age%20six%2C%20and%20there%20was%20no%20turning%20back.

Welker%20attended%20Heritage%20Hall%20High%20School%20in%20Oklahoma%20City.

Welker%20attended%20Heritage%20Hall%20High%20School%20in%20Oklahoma%20City.

Welker%20attended%20Heritage%20Hall%20High%20School%20in%20Oklahoma%20City.

Welker%20attended%20Heritage%20Hall%20High%20School%20in%20Oklahoma%20City.

He%20hunted%20duck%20in%20his%20younger%20days.

Wes%20played%20both%20running%20back%20and%20defensive%20back%20in%20high%20school.

In%20his%20high%20school%20career%2C%20Welker%20rushed%20for%203%2C235%20yards%20and%2053%20touchdowns%2C%20caught%20174%20passes%20for%202%2C551%20yards%20and%2027%20touchdowns%20and%20snagged%2022%20interceptions.%20Welker%20also%20served%20as%20a%20placekicker%20and%20hit%20a%2057-yard%20field%20goal.%20

As%20a%20senior%2C%20Welker%20was%20named%20the%20Oklahoma%20Player%20of%20the%20Year%20by%20several%20media%20outlets.

He%20also%20played%20soccer%20in%20high%20school.

Parents%20Shelley%20and%20Leland%20say%20their%20family%20has%20always%20been%20close-knit.

Coming%20out%20of%20high%20school%2C%20most%20colleges%20thought%20Welker%20was%20too%20small%20at%205%26%238217%3B9%26%238243%3B.

Texas%20Tech%20only%20recruited%20him%20when%20another%20player%20backed%20out%20of%20his%20scholarship.

He%20went%20on%20to%20break%20receiving%20and%20returning%20records%20and%20earned%20the%20nickname%20%26%238220%3BThe%20Natural.%26%238221%3B%20

Welker%20graduated%20from%20Texas%20Tech%20with%20a%20degree%20in%20management.%20

After%20graduation%20in%202004%2C%20Welker%20was%20not%20drafted.

He%20ended%20up%20signing%20as%20a%20free%20agent%20with%20the%20San%20Diego%20Chargers%20but%20was%20cut%20after%20the%20first%20week%20of%20the%20season.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Ronald%20Martinez%2FGetty%20Images%29

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In%202007%20Wes%20Welker%20was%20acquired%20by%20the%20Patriots%20from%20the%20Dolphins%20in%20exchange%20for%20second-round%20and%20seventh-round%20picks%20in%20the%202007%20Draft.%20%28Photo%20by%20Elsa%2FGetty%20Images%29

He%26%238217%3Bs%20been%20one%20of%20Tom%20Brady%26%238217%3Bs%20favorite%20targets%20ever%20since.%20%28Photo%20by%20Bob%20Levey%2FGetty%20Images%29