After a three-day hiatus, a relatively long one in his ascent, Xavier Benson is back at the forefront of East Texas college football recruiting with a new offer from Abilene Christian University in hand.

The Wildcats program made a move for the rising senior Pleasant Grove linebacker on Thursday. 

Benson (6-0, 200) helped guide Pleasant Grove to the third round of the Class 4A Division II state playoffs last season. He had 89 tackles and tied for the team lead in takeaways with four through the 13-game campaign.

Pleasant Grove also utilizes Benson as a heavy receiver on the high school level. He caught nine balls for 122 yards and two touchdowns out of a Wing-T offense.

Abilene Christian went 2-9 a season ago in what turned out to be Ken Collums' final season. Collums' five-year career coincided with the Wildcats' transition from the NCAA Division II level to the FCS level of NCAA Division I football.

Adam Dorrell took control of the program about a week after winning a second consecutive Division II national championship with Northwest Missouri State. He posted a 78-6 overall record in Missouri through six seasons and won a third national championship in 2013.

Abilene Christian is the third Southland Conference school to offer Benson. It follows in the footsteps of Incarnate Word and Sam Houston State.

Twelve of Benson's invitations are from NCAA Division I schools. An offer from Texas Tech earlier this month gave the linebacker an option at the power five conference level.

Benson, like all soon-to-be seniors with Division I football options, will become eligible with any school that offers him in December.

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