Arkansas Leads SEC With Five On NFF Hampshire Honor Society

IRVING, Texas. – Nearly two months after posting the most student-athletes on the Fall Southeastern Conference Academic Honor roll, the Arkansas football program had an SEC-best five student-athletes named to the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame’s 2017 NFF Hampshire Honor Society on Wednesday.

In its 11th year, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers.

Tops in the SEC, the Razorbacks’ five honorees were the most in program history and tied for seventh-most among all Football Bowl Subdivision programs.

The student-athletes honored include linebacker, SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year and 2016 William V. Campbell Trophy finalist Brooks Ellis, punter Toby Baker, defensive back Jared Collins, kicker Adam McFain and offensive lineman Dan Skipper.

Ellis became the first Arkansas football student-athlete in school history to earn Academic All-America honors twice in a career as he was named to the 2016 Academic All-America Division I football team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A three-time Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll member and two-year team captain, he graduated in December 2016 with a degree in pre-professional exercise science. The Fayetteville, Arkansas, product amassed 290 tackles, including 22.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 13 pass breakups and four interceptions, returning one 47 yards for a touchdown during his tenure.

Baker, from Memphis, Tennessee, graduated in December 2016 with a degree in finance. A three-time Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll member and 2016 Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist, Baker punted 57 times and finished with a 44.4 average to rank fourth in the SEC and 13th nationally in 2016. In addition, 21 of his punts traveled 50 yards or longer, while 23 landed inside the 20-yard line with only three touchbacks.

Collins, a four-year letterman, will graduate in May with a degree in recreation and sport management. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native started 40 of 50 games, including each of his last 36. He finished his career with 36 pass breakups, highlighted by an SEC-best 13 as a sophomore in 2014. He also totaled 165 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, and collected two interceptions. Collins was a four-time Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll member after making the 2012-13 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll.

McFain, a four-time Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll member, graduated in December 2016 with a degree in supply chain management. In 2016, the Greenwood, Arkansas, native took over the team’s primary placekicking duties four games into the season, converting 8 of 10 attempts, including a career long of 54 yards at No. 21 Auburn.

Skipper, from Arvada, Colorado, graduated in December 2016 with a degree in biology. He was a three-time Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree after making the 2013-14 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll. Skipper played in 51 career games, finishing with 47 straight starts – the second-longest streak in program history. One of just six offensive linemen in program history to earn All-SEC honors twice in a career, Skipper helped block for Arkansas’ offenses to eclipse 5,000 total yards during each his freshman, junior and senior years. The 2016 AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America second team selection also opened rushing lanes for three different running backs to combine for five 1,000-yard seasons across his four years.

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