LITTLE ROCK — Three Fayetteville High School football players who have been teammates since middle school have pledged to stay together when they enter college next fall.
Quarterback Austin Allen, linebacker Brooks Ellis and safety Alex Brignoni orally committed to Arkansas on Monday.
“In middle school we all wanted to go to the same school,” Allen said. “I think that’s the first time we talked about it. Now the time has come, we all wanted to be Hogs on the same day.”
Allen, 6-2, 210, 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, had 15 offers, including Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Arizona State and Illinois. Allen’s father, Bobby, is the Hogs’ cornerback coach and lead recruiter of the three.
“It’s a dream come true really,” said Austin Allen, who threw for 4,100 yards and 46 touchdowns as a junior.
Allen, Ellis and Brignoni paid a visit to Arkansas Coach John L. Smith shortly after 1 p.m. Monday and told him they wanted to be Razorbacks.
“He gave all of us hugs and said he was really excited,” Allen said. “It’s pretty cool.”
Allen said the three plan to recruit other in-state recruits, notably tight end Hunter Henry of Pulaski Academy and North Little Rock running back Altee Tenpenny, who has committed to Alabama.
Ellis, 6-2, 218, 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, picked the Hogs over 14 other offers, most notably Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Arizona State and Tennessee.
“There’s a lot of support here and Arkansas is a great place to play football and get a great education,” Ellis said.
Ellis was the Defensive Player of the Year on the 2011 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s All-Arkansas team after recording 86 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 13 1/2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 pass breakups.
Brignoni, 6-1, 195, 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, had scholarship offers from Illinois, Arkansas State, Kent State and Central Arkansas. He received his offer from the Hogs on Saturday.
“I’m so happy because I just grew up just wanting to be a Hog,” Brignoni said. “And now that it’s here, I can say I’m a Hog. It’s a dream come true. I’m really happy about it and happy my family is happy. I’m glad I can go to college with my two best friends.”
Brignoni made 124 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 10 pass breakups and 10 interceptions while being named to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s All-Arkansas team as a junior.
Sports, Pages 19 on 05/22/2012