Buchanan mimics father’s talk, walk

FAYETTEVILLE — The 17th in a series profiling new additions to the Arkansas football team.

Arkansas defensive back signee Ray Buchanan Jr. takes his name and his game from his father.

“I’m more quiet off the field than on the field,” Buchanan said, “and when it comes to games and stuff like that, I’ll probably talk a lot of trash.”

Ray Buchanan Sr. had a 12-year career as an NFL cornerback, with 47 interceptions and two All-Pro seasons, and made the Pro Bowl after the 1998 season, when he helped the Atlanta Falcons reach their only Super Bowl. Buchanan also got into a pre-Super Bowl war of words with Denver’ tightend Shannon Sharpe after he put the clamps on Minnesota wide receiver Randy Moss in the second half of the NFC Championship Game, and he rarely missed an opportunity to have an on-field conversation with an opponent.

“Just trying to get into their head,” the younger Buchanan said, acknowledging he plans to follow in his father’s footsteps.

The elder Buchanan had enough ties to current and former Razorbacks players and coaches that his son’s commitment and signing with Arkansas suited him, despite the long distance from the family’s home in the north Atlanta suburbs.

Buchanan Sr. played with former Arkansas linebackers coach Reggie Johnson at Louisville, and his brother,Bobby, signed with the Cardinals for then-Coach Bobby Petrino in 2004. Petrino and current Arkansas Coach John L. Smith both coached the Cardinals and Razorbacks, and one of Buchanan’s best friends is his neighbor Steve Atwater, the longtime NFL safety and member of Arkansas’ All-Century team.

“John L.’s been around the organization, and he did a good job when he was at Louisville,” Buchanan Sr. said. “That’s how we knew it was OK for Ray to be at Arkansas.”

The younger Buchanan, who arrived on the Arkansas campus for the first summer session, won’t be the tallest or fastest member of the Hogs’ secondary at 5-10 with a 4.47-second time in the 40-yard dash, but he’s had solid training. He began learning under his father in the eighth grade, says he has a high IQ on the field and he has a 3.3 grade point average off of it.

“I’m really technically sound and I’m good on my feet and with my footwork,” Buchanan Jr. said. “I’ve been working on that all throughout high school. I have brains, smarts for the game, too.”

Buchanan Sr. was playing his final NFL season with the Oakland Raiders when he began helping coach his oldest son.

“He outworked just about anybody I’ve seen on his level,” Buchanan Sr. said. “He wasn’t the fastest kid when he was really young, and he was one of the smallest kids when he was really young.

“His work ethic, over time, just grew and grew. ... I watched kids who were pure athletic and Ray wasn’t in the top tier of those kids, but over time, with his training andputting the right things in his body and his mind, he could compete.

“I shared those things that it took to be a true professional, and Ray works very hard. Not to say that he’s not gifted, because it’s in his blood. You can’t get away from that.”

Arkansas defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell was Buchanan’s lead recruiter.

“Ray’s got great ball skills and you can see he’s worked with his dad every day,” Caldwell said. “He’s not the fastest, but he’ll be further along than some guys because he’s a great technician, has great feet and he knows how to read receivers.”

Buchanan Jr. picked the Razorbacks over Ole Miss before he made an official visit to campus.

“I really looked up Arkansas, looked up the campus online and I knew a couple of the players here already and some of the coaching staff,” said Buchanan Jr., who was a couple of years behind Hogs receiver Julian Horton at Greater Atlanta Christian before transferring to Peachtree Ridge High School. “When I came on my official visit, I really loved it. I just had a good feeling about Arkansas.”

Buchanan Jr. made his official visit for the Razorbacks’ 38-14 victory over Auburn. The 177-pounder played free safety and nickel back as a junior, then finished up his senior year as a starting cornerback.

“He’ll be a very good corner, and if they need him at safety, he can play it because it’s very physical,” said Buchanan Sr., who trains athletes in the off season and works for NBC Sports and Comcast during the football season.

Buchanan Jr. said he has good sense of the Razorbacks’ defensive vibe under new coordinator Paul Haynes.

“I really like Coach Haynes, the defense he runs and everything,” he said. “I really like the way he handles things.”

Buchanan Jr. said he hoped to play early.

“It kind of depends,” he said. “Hopefully I can get everything down, studying the playbook and watching film and being bigger and everything.”At a glance

RAY BUCHANAN JR.

CLASS Freshman POSITION Defensive back HEIGHT 5-10 WEIGHT 177 pounds HOMETOWN Suwanee, Ga.

LAST STOP Peachtree Ridge High NOTEWORTHY Posted 39 tackles, 2 interceptions, 11 passes breakups, 1 safety, 1 forced fumble his senior year. ... Selected to play in Offense-Defense All-American Bowl. ... Rated No. 59 cornerback in nation by Rivals.com. ... Injured during his junior year after compiling 30 tackles. ... Played cornerback and safety in high school. ... Father, Ray, was third-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts (1993) and played 12 NFL seasons. ... Received interest from many schools before selecting Arkansas over Ole Miss.