Trey Griffey Jr. was one of 92 seniors selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game in early January. Photo by Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE
Trey Griffey is trying to make his name in a sport other than the one played by his famous father, and he will be doing so with the Arizona Wildcats.
Griffey, the son of the future Baseball Hall of Fame Ken Griffey Jr., committed to Arizona on Monday night, according to all the major recruiting services, after taking an official visit last weekend.
“At first, all I wanted to do was play baseball,” Trey told the USA Today earlier this month, while preparing for the Under Armour All-America Game.
“But as I got older, my dad told me, ‘You have to choose the sport you want to play.’ I said I want to play football. Once I turned 11, I was done with baseball.”
Griffey (6-2, 190) was a modest prospect in football after transferring from West Orange High in Winter Garden, Fla., to nearby Dr. Phillips High last year. He had a breakout season as a receiver for the powerhouse program, setting school records with 72 catches for 970 yards.
Griffey, who also played safety, caught 11 touchdown passes for a team that went 10-2.
He further opened eyes at practice for the Under Armour All-American Game.
“First of all, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional athlete,” former Pro Bowl receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who helped coach in the game, told USA Today. “It’s in the genes. You can see it. … He belongs here.”
Griffey’s took a recruiting visit to Arizona State a week before coming to Tucson. He also had offers from Michigan State, Washington State and Iowa State, among others.
“My parents said, ‘It’s up to you, you got to do what you want to do … what you feel is right,’” Griffey told the Orlando Sentinel late Monday night. “I’m going to the University of Arizona. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Griffey is rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Trey Griffey plays catch with Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin before a 2000 spring training game. Photo by Peter MuhlyAFP/Getty Images
New coach Rich Rodriguez actively recruited Florida while at West Virginia and Michigan, and is likely to continue to dabble in the football-rich region while at Arizona.
Rodriguez and his staff have 25 scholarships to give and are still looking to add eight to 10 players in this class. At the top of the wish list is Scottsdale Chaparral receiver Davonte Neal and quarterback Devin Fuller, from Old Tappan, N.J. Both have made national top 50 lists.
Neal has said he will take an official visit after the signing period begins Feb. 1.
Fuller is expected to begin a visit to Arizona on Tuesday. A panel of six analysts for Rivals.com unanimously predicted he would end up at Rutgers.
Deaysean Rippy is another top Arizona target. The four-star linebacker from McKees Rocks, Pa., visited last weekend and tweeted Monday night that his final four schools are Colorado, West Virginia, Arizona and Pitt.
NOTE: Griffey won’t be the only Pac-12 freshman next season with a very famous sports dad. Running back Barry Sanders Jr., a four-star recruit, has committed to Stanford.