Javier Arenas

Classroom

Arenas is on track to graduate in December with a degree in public relations. He will finish his degree in just three and a half years.

Character

Arenas has been a model of leadership on the University of Alabama football team, on campus and around the community. He is a team-first student-athlete in every sense of the word. Arenas is a tireless worker both on and off the football field. He is a committed and caring individual who spends countless hours in the community and on campus. Arenas relates well to area children with a message of dedication, discipline, hard work and honesty.

Community

Throughout his career at Alabama, Arenas has volunteered more than 50 hours of outreach throughout the Tuscaloosa and surrounding communities. This year he has gone into the local school systems to speak about bullying as well as teamwork. He has recently given his time to speak to a lunchroom full of students at Brookwood Middle School and also attended some birthday parties of physically challenged children. He has also volunteered at Verner Elementary in Tuscaloosa, reading and talking to students. Arenas regularly makes phone calls to children with cancer and has touched many other lives as well. He is also heavily involved with Project Angel Tree, which collects money and gifts for children who have incarcerated parents.

Competition

Arenas has developed into one of the most dangerous return men in the country and a lockdown cornerback. He was a consensus second-team All-SEC performer at both cornerback and return specialist while earning second-team All-America honors as a punt returner by Phil Steele. Arenas is Alabama’s career leader in punt return yards in a game, season and career. His six career punt returns for touchdowns are also a school record and tie the conference mark. He returned three punts for touchdowns in 2008 while ranking sixth nationally in yards per return at 15.9. He is the top returning punt returner in the NCAA. Arenas started all 14 games for the Crimson Tide at cornerback in 2008. He broke up seven passes, returned one interception 63 yards for a touchdown. His 63 tackles ranked fifth on the team.