ROGERS — Rogers Heritage’s Jimmy Britton recently verbally committed to attend the United States Naval Academy next year.
The 6-foot-2, 206-pounder said he wants to play football for the Midshipmen, but his commitment goes way beyond sports.
Attending either the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., or the U.S. Military Academy at West Point also requires a minimum five years of active duty following graduation.
That’s fine with Britton, who’ll likely play on both sides of the ball at times for Heritage this fall.
“I’m looking at the career opportunities afterward at the Naval Academy or West Point,” Britton said. “You automatically have a job when you get out and you serve your country.”
He has offers from both Army and Navy to play football and has drawn interest from other schools. But Britton admitted the Naval Academy was his first choice, but not because of football.
“You can graduate as a Marine,” Britton said. “That’s the big deal for me.”
Ultimately, he wants to become a pilot like his father, Jim Britton.
Heritage football coach Perry Escalante said Britton’s outlook and maturity, particularly for someone who won’t turn 17 until early next month, makes him special.
“Last year, I was writing something about Jimmy and I described him as a future leader of the free world,” Escalante said. “They have something like 1,800 applicants and they take a small number out of that. Jimmy’s one of those kids.”
Despite his career plans after school, playing college football is still one of Britton’s goals and doing so at Navy will give him the chance to compete at a high level.
The Midshipmen went 10-4 a year ago, including a 35-13 win over Missouri in the Texas Bowl. That’s something that’s not lost on Britton.
“They killed Mizzou last year,” said Britton, who’s projected to play defensive back in Navy’s scheme. “I saw in some preseason rankings they were like No. 31.”
Britton, who’ll be a senior in the fall, said picking a college was a decision he’s been contemplating for at least a couple of years. “This is something I’ve thought about before football,” Britton said.
Britton’s father served in the Marines for 20 years. While the younger Britton acknowledges growing up in a military household influenced him, his father did not.
“In no way has that ever come across in any of our discussions,” the elder Britton said. “That was purely driven by himself.”
“It was growing up that way,” Jimmy Britton said. “I like the whole atmosphere on a military base, the lifestyle.”
Britton spent time in different locales, including Hawaii and Japan, before moving to Northwest Arkansas in the third grade.
Jim Britton said he was convinced of his son’s choice after his reaction while they were visiting Annapolis.
“He fell in love with it,” Jim Britton said.