STAR CITY -- Austin Capps was the star of Star City on Wednesday afternoon.
The Star City defensive lineman posed for pictures with family, friends and his football teammates before signing a national letter of intent with the University of Arkansas.
Capps, wearing a backward Razorbacks hat and a red Razorback shirt with the word "Loyalty," signed his letter at Los Toritos, his favorite restaurant in Star City, and was joined by his mother, Thea, and his sister, Mary Katherine. The table where he signed had two Arkansas helmets and a photo of his late father, Greg, who died of a heart attack in 2011 when Capps was 14.
"I'm sure he would be proud," Capps said.
For almost a year, Capps has remained loyal to the Razorbacks.
The first-team All-Arkansas Preps defensive lineman orally committed to Arkansas in March, becoming the second player in the Class of 2016 to pledge to the Razorbacks behind Smackover wide receiver Jordan Jones. Capps, 6-4, 295 pounds, is one of four in-state players who signed with the Hogs, along with Jones, Pulaski Robinson athlete T.J. Hammonds and Hope defensive lineman McTelvin Agim, who is already on campus in Fayetteville. Little Rock Christian offensive lineman Dylan Hays committed as a grayshirt.
"It's a dream come true," Capps said. "I get to play for my dream college. I can't really ask for much more than that."
Capps didn't hide the meaning of his shirt.
"I'm loyal to my state," Capps said.
Capps, the No. 32 defensive tackle in the nation according to ESPN, had 86 tackles, including 17 for a loss, and 5 sacks this season for the Bulldogs, who went 9-4 and advanced to the Class 4A quarterfinals. Capps also plays baseball and was Star City's starting first baseman on its 2015 Class 4A state championship team.
"They're getting a winner," Star City Coach Jett Furneaux said. "I don't think it matters where they play him. He can do it all. He's an athlete. He's a great baseball player and a football player. He could probably be one of our best basketball players if he did that.
"We're proud of him. The whole community is here. It's good for our school. It's good for our kids to have someone to look up to in the future."
Thea Capps said it's been a long recruiting process for her son, and she's glad it's over.
"He's never wavered," she said. "He's always wanted be a Hog."
Sports on 02/04/2016