This is the 11th in a series profiling new additions to the Arkansas football team.
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said building depth at wide receiver behind juniors Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright and sophomore Cobi Hamilton is a priority when preseason practice begins.
Freshman Marquel Wade of Jacksonville (Fla.) Andrew Jackson High School is among the candidates to provide that backup help in the receiver rotation.
“Marquel’s a very fluid athlete, and he’s got terrific ball skills,” said Tim Horton, Arkansas’ recruiting coordinator and running backs coach. “He’s got that confidence and swagger that you’d better have if you’re a skill player in the SEC.
“Some kids don’t develop it until their second or third year, but I think Marquel has a chance to have it immediately. I really think he’s got a chance to be a special player.”
Kevin Sullivan said Wade, 5-11, 173 pounds, is one of his top five players in 20 seasons as a high school football coach.
That’s pretty high praise considering seven of Sullivan’s former players have played in the NFL, including Seattle Seahawks running back Leon Washington.
“As far as pure explosion, any time Marquel touches the ball, he can go all the way,” said Sullivan, who is coach of the new Atlantic Coast High School after 11 seasons and 90victories at Andrew Jackson. “He’s also a very, very competitive person, and he’s very quietly confident in his ability.”
Sullivan said that when Wade makes a big play, he doesn’t feel the need to draw attention to himself.
“An unbelievable play by him - where people would be going, ‘Oh my God, I’ve never seen that happen before’ - he expects to make those plays.”
Horton raved about a play he saw on one of Wade’s game tapes.
“He completely hurdles a player,” Horton said. “It’s some kid standing there to make a tackle on him ... and Marquel just jumps over him and is gone.”
Wade said he’s always been confident about his game.
“I just like to let the plays on the field do my talking,” he said. “I don’t like to talk trash. If you can back it up, you don’t have to do all that.”
Wade made plenty of plays the previous two seasons, when he had a combined 111 receptions for 1,507 yards and 23 touchdowns and scored 8 touchdowns on punt returns.
“I think he’s a really good fit for Arkansas because of the way they throw the football,” Sullivan said. “They’ll be able to get him in the slot and get him in some mismatches, and he’ll work like crazy to return punts and kicks.”
Wade said he’s added 12 pounds this summer while working out in Fayetteville, but that he feels faster than a year ago, when he ran 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
“In high school I didn’t really do lower body workouts, didn’t really lift weights at all,” Wade said. “Now my legs are a lot stronger.
“It’s going to make me a better receiver by getting off the ball quicker, getting off jams ... breaking tackles.”
Wade said he’s also confident he can break some long punt returns for the Razorbacks as he did in high school.
“The key is making the first man miss, and then your blocking is going to come in,” he said. “Don’t be scared of catching the ball and being hit, because you’re going to get hit regardless. You might as well catch the ball.”
Sullivan said John L. Smith - Arkansas’ special teams coordinator - may be the happiest coach to have Wade on the roster this season.
“Marquel is fearless catching the ball on punts, and that’s what you need back there,” Sullivan said. “I’m sure he’ll make some freshman mistakes - they all do - but when he gets that ball and finds a little crease and he’s in space, he’ll have a chance to change the game.
“Then they’ll ease him in offensively. I think they’ll take him into the fold and develop him.
“His route running is better, and his getting out of the break is better. I’m hoping he’ll take that to the next level there, because he will work. He wants to be successful.”
Sports, Pages 29 on 07/25/2010