Arik Armstead

Arik Armstead competed on both the PGHS Football and basketball teams during his high school career, and won the football section championships twice. He was rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and was also considered the sixth best defensive tackle in his class leading up to his college career. Armstead was originally committed to USC for football, but ultimately decided to play for the Oregon Ducks. In Oregon, Arik played for both their basketball and football teams initially before deciding to fully commit his talents to football. In the 2015 draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Armstead in the first round, and was selected 17th overall. Arik competed in Super Bowl LVIII, where he played through a torn meniscus and accrued one sack and six tackles during the game. Arik has also been nominated for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award five years in a row, as well as winning the 2024 honors for the award for his outstanding charity work. The Armstead Academic Project is a project dedicated to ensuring all students can have access to resources necessary for success regardless of socioeconomic status. Their fundamental mission statement is that a zip code should not define a student’s opportunity. Through this project, not only has he helped donate over 2 million dollars to Sacramento, Bay Area, and Jacksonville youth, but he also encourages fellow teammates to use their platforms to support their communities in any way they can. In 2024, Armstead was signed to a three-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars that was worth $51 million dollars. As of 2023, Arik has a total of 302 tackles, 33.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 6 pass deflections.