FAYETTEVILLE, AR - Bolivar High School quarterback Rafe Peavey (class of 2014) has verbally committed to play football at Arkansas. Peavey informed KSPR of the decision Monday morning while visiting Fayetteville with his family over the weekend.
"Since there's not an NFL team in Arkansas, everybody loves the Razorbacks," said Peavey. "Their facilities are awesome."
Peavey had also received verbal offers from Missouri, UCLA, Ole Miss, Connecticut, Nebraska, Indiana and Boston College.
"I don’t have to have it in the back of my head," said Peavey. "I can just go out and focus on being the best player I can be."
"It’s an exciting time," said Rafe's father Jack, who played offensive tackle in the NFL. "Rafe got to see a lot of schools and had a lot of cool trips. He’s pretty familiar with what big time football looks like. He felt really good with Arkansas and the coaches.
The 6'2", 190 pound Peavey threw for 1,734 yards and 20 touchdowns, rushing for 465 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first season of varsity football as a sophmore last fall.
With Rafe's older brother Kolton Peavey entering his 2nd year at South Alabama, the family commented on the importance of staying close to home.
"Arkansas is 2 and a half hours from Bolivar, so it'll be easy for us to go see him play," said Jack.
In addition to his relationship with the coaching staff, Rafe also likes the style of offense.
"They play in both shotgun and under center. That's the way Coach (Lance) Roweton does it at Bolivar."
The Peavey's have several ties to the Razorbacks. Jack is a former graduate assistant. Rafe's mother ran track and graduated from U of A, and his uncle was a swimmer, who qualified for the 1980 Olympics.
Rafe will return home tonight and is planning to participate in Bolivar's 7 on 7 activity at Willard High School.
Peavey cannot make it official until National Signing Day his senior year.
