Arkansas beat out about 18 other schools who offered scholarships to get the oral commitment of outside linebacker Khalia Hackett on Monday night.
Hackett, 6-2, 208 pounds, 4.63 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding, picked the Razorbacks over about 18 other offers, including ones from Wisconsin, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Syracuse. He said his relationship with Arkansas cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson and linebackers coach Randy Shannon was big.
“I chose them because I had a great relationship with the coaches,” Hackett said. “Coach Johnson and Coach Shannon are like uncles to me. I really want to play SEC football. It’s the best conference to play in, and I really want to be a part of Razorback football.”
Hackett, who hasn’t visited Fayetteville but plans to sometime during his season, said he’s not the usual outside linebacker.
“I have an edge over other linebackers because I played safety before,” he said. “I know how to play man coverage on the No. 2 receiver. I can come down and play press man.”
He’s also very aggressive against the run.
“I’m really great off the edge,” he said. “I’m fast off the edge and I can make open field tackles. I’m a great zone player and I know how to come down in the gap and fill it on running backs and halfbacks. Any back, it doesn’t matter.”
Hackett is the Hogs’ 14th commitment for the 2014 class. Oral commitments are nonbinding.
Sports, Pages 19 on 07/30/2013