Highly ranked high school quarterback signs with the Hogs

The No. 9 ESPN high school quarterback prospect in the country is heading to Fayetteville to play for the Razorbacks.

Quarterback Rafe Peavey from Bolivar High School in Bolivar, Mo., has signed an Institutional Financial Aid Agreement with Arkansas, head coach Bret Bielema announced Monday (Nov. 25).

Under a new interpretation of NCAA legislation, high school seniors who are on schedule to graduate in December and plan to enroll in college for the spring semester have the opportunity to sign an Institutional Financial Aid Agreement. Peavey will enroll in January and go through spring practice with the Razorbacks.

“Rafe has championed the recruiting process in every way possible, just as he will as a quarterback at Arkansas,” Coach Bielema said. “He is a dynamic player with unique skills and an obvious winning mentality in everything he does. We are excited to have him officially in the Razorback family.”

Peavey, a four-star recruit, was rated as the No. 8 quarterback prospect by Tom Lemming. ESPN gave Peavey a scout grade of 83 and ranked him as the No. 4 prospect from Missouri and the No. 9 prospective quarterback in the nation. Peavey earned a grade of 93 from 247Sports and No. 10 ranking among pro-style quarterbacks nationally. Rivals.com ranked Peavey as the No. 2 prospect from Missouri and the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the country.
 
Peavey led Bolivar High School to an undefeated regular season during his senior year as quarterback. Bolivar won 12 consecutive games in 2013, including an 11th straight Central Ozark Conference championship and the Missouri Class 4, District 7 title. Peavey’s Liberators were the first team to go 12-0 in school history, and the quarterfinals were the deepest a team has advanced in the state playoffs in head coach Lance Roweton’s 11-year tenure. In his senior season, Peavey was 127-for-185 passing for 2,294 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also recorded 187 carries for 1,557 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns.
 
Peavey had three additional winning seasons at Bolivar, finishing 9-3 his junior year, 9-2 his sophomore year, and 8-1 his freshman year on the freshman team while also rushing 11 times for 121 yards in varsity competition. During Peavey’s sophomore and junior seasons, he was 191-for-288 passing for 3,696 yards and 38 touchdowns and had 156 carries for 1,040 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was an All-Central Ozarks Conference and all-district selection each of his three years as the starter and was also named the Central Ozarks Conference MVP.
 
Peavey, a high honors student who also played baseball and ran track, chose Arkansas after receiving numerous offers including Auburn, Missouri, Ole Miss and Kentucky. He is the son of Rachael and Jack Peavey. His dad played three seasons in the NFL with New England and Denver.