FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas will turn its full attention to recruiting after Saturday’s Liberty Bowl game against East Carolina.
The Razorbacks have 16 oral commitments and are expected to sign 22 recruits, give or take one or two. The NCAA allows a school to sign 25 recruits in each class, but limits them to 85 on scholarship at one time.
Spring (Texas) Westfield quarterback Jacoby Walker, 6-2, 210 pounds, 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard dash, will enroll at Arkansas at midterm. Walker chose Arkansas over Utah, Kansas and others.Since the Razorbacks have no scholarships to count back to last year’s class, Walker will count forward to the class of 2010.
The Razorbacks could end up not signing a couple of recruits currently on their commitment list, but they have a few recruits they appear likely to sign who aren’t listed as a commitment. Monroe (La.)Richwood defensive lineman LaCraig Brown, 6-4, 269, 4.9, and Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards athlete Brandon Denmark, 6-4, 215, 4.42, appear headed for Arkansas though neither has made public an oral commitment to the Razorbacks.
Brown would be a very welcome addition to Arkansas’ defensive line while Denmark could play outside linebacker, safety or wide receiver.
“Brown is better than anyone LSU has on its interior defensive line right now,” recruiting analyst Max Emfinger said recently. “He’s a greatdefensive lineman.”
Arkansas is also trying its best to add Junction City defensive lineman Byran Jones, 6-3, 300, 5.0, to its commitment list. Jones is the top defensive recruit in Arkansas this season. Auburn and Ole Miss are among those trying to sign Jones, who is rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com.
Arkansas has a solid commitment from Hoover (Ala.) Spain Park defensive lineman Jeremiah Jackson, 6-2, 285, 4.85, who should be able to help early in his career. Jackson chose Arkansas early over Auburn and Ole Miss with Alabama then trying to lure him away.
In addition, Mount Ulla (N.C.) West Rowan defensive end/outside linebacker Chris Smith, 6-2, 230, 4.6, recently was named the MVP of an all-star game he played in against a group of all-stars from South Carolina. Smith is another standout who chose Arkansas early and appears tobe a solid commitment.
It appears that, other than a standout, the rest of Arkansas’ coming commitments for 2010 will be defensive players, with the majority playing on the defensive line or in the secondary.
If a recruit who is considered a can’t-miss prospect wants to attend Arkansas and plays running back, wide receiver or offensive lineman, then the Razorbacks will take him. It would be surprising if they took anyone even somewhat marginal on offense in the remainder of the class.
Several of the current commitments can play on either side of the ball. Tulsa Booker T. Washington’s Eric Bennett, 5-11, 170, 4.5, can play wide receiver or cornerback. Heber Springs’ Braylon Mitchell, 6-2,207, 4.58, could help at either running back or linebacker, while Dallas Smith’s Jatashun “Big Tex” Beachum, 6-2, 285, 4.65, can play running back or defensive lineman.
It looks as if Jacksonville(Fla.) Andrew Jackson’s Marquel Wade, 5-11, 185, 4.49, will line up at wide receiver, though he is a good defensive back, too. Brad Hefley, 6-4, 265, 4.86, of Joplin, Mo., and Little Rock Catholic’s Garrett Uekman, 6-4, 230, 4.65, are tight ends.
On the offensive line, Arkansas has an oral commitment from Pilot Point (Texas) four-star recruit Cam Feldt, 6-5, 290, 5.3, River Ridge (La.) John Curtis’ Luke Charpentier, 6-4, 305, 5.1, and Joplin’s Jordan Rainey, 6-5, 310, 5.3. In addition, Paris offensive lineman Charles Dement, 6-6, 285, 5.3, is slated to attend Arkansas as a walk-on with a strong chance of landing a scholarship.
A couple of other key commitments for the Razorbacks are Fort Gibson, Okla., linebacker Courtney Gaston, 6-4, 215, 4.6, and Cedar Hill, Texas, kicker Eduardo Camara, 5-10, 158.
Sports, Pages 35 on 12/27/2009