Arik Armstead will play college football and basketball with the Oregon Ducks.
Pleasant Grove senior lineman Arik Armstead chose to attend the University of Oregon where he will play football and basketball.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Pleasant Grove high school senior Arik Armstead, who is among the nation's top recruited high school football players, announced on Sunday afternoon that he will attend the University of Oregon.
Armstead, joined by many family, friends and media made his announcement at The House Christian Church in Sacramento.
Checkout a News10 slide show of Arik Armstead and see pictures from Sunday's press conference.
The 6-foot-8, 290 pound Armstead chose the Ducks over California, Washington, UCLA, Notre Dame, Auburn and even USC - the school where his brother Armond plays football and where he originally gave a verbal commitment to become a Trojan.
"I feel like Oregon was the right place for me," Armstead said. "I see myself fitting in there and being able to going there right away and earn some playing time and be a productive player."
After an in-home visit with Oregon's head football coach Chip Kelly last Thursday, Armstead said he made his decision the next day to become a Duck. Previously he said he had narrowed the schools down to Oregon, Cal, and Washington prior to the visit.
Early last week, Kelly was close to heading to the NFL to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After Kelly declined the job to return to Oregon, he told Armstead that he couldn't guarantee that he would remain his football coach for his whole college career as a Duck.
It was that honesty and candor by Kelly that won over Armstead and helped solidify his decision to choose Oregon.
Although he's most known as a stellar offensive lineman, Armstead will join the Ducks as a defensive end like his childhood idol Julius Peppers of the Chicago Bears. Peppers was a two- sport athlete in football and basketball at North Carolina.
Like Peppers, Armstead will be a two-sport collegiate athlete in football and basketball.
Since he's already graduated high school, Armstead said he will enroll to Oregon in March, participate in the spring football program to compete right away. Academically, his plan is to graduate college in three years with a degree in sports marketing - in case he's unable to go play professionally in the NFL or the NBA or both.
Armstead said his selection of Oregon came down to the three important factors he and his family were looking for: Academics, the best place for him in football and basketball, and the best city for his living situation.
Whitney's Jake Rodrigues of Rocklin is also committed to attend Oregon and Armstead is hoping Grant's Shaq Thompson, another top national recruit will join them in Eugene. Thompson took a final visit to Washington this weekend and remains uncommitted after originally selecting Cal earlier in the month.
Thompson is expected to make his decision in the coming days.
By Sean Cunningham, SCunningham@News10.net
Twitter: @News10Sean
News10/KXTV