Arkansas’ Ellis named Academic All-American

Arkansas linebacker Brooks Ellis became the first football player at the school to earn Academic All-America honors twice when he was named Thursday to the 2016 Academic All-America team for Division I by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

He is the 20th football Academic All-American for the Razorbacks after earning first-team honors Thursday, a year after he made the second team. He is the only SEC athlete on the first team.

Ellis holds a 3.82 GPA as a pre-professional exercise science major with the goal of becoming a doctor. He is a national scholar-athlete and one of 12 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is known as the Academic Heisman. The finalists will be in New York City on Tuesday for the 59th National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame awards dinner, with the winner earning a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship.

With 78 tackles, Ellis is in position to lead the Razorbacks in tackles for the second consecutive year. He also leads the team with seven tackles for a loss. Ellis has 285 career tackles, including 22.5 for a loss; 3.5 sacks; 2 forced fumbles; 13 pass breakups; and 4 interceptions. He had a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown in Arkansas’ 41-38 upset at No. 15 TCU on Sept. 10.