Arkansas offensive line coach Sam Pittman was high on one of the nation’s top junior college prospects, offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor, prior to visiting his school on Monday. He was even more so after seeing him practice Monday.
“He said he wants me more because I showed I had quick feet on my film but didn’t know my feet were that quick,” Eluemunor said. “He said my feet are really, really quick and I’m like a fullback in a lineman’s body. “
Eluemunor, 6-5½ , 315 pounds of Lackawanna Community College in Scranton, Pa., has 24 scholarship offers including Arkansas, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas A&M and Penn State. He called Pittman later that night and had an hour-long conversation.
“He was giving me pointers from practice, what I need to work on and what I need to fix,” Eluemunor said. “What I did good on and what he could help me fix and what I did good on and he can help me fix. I’m not really good at pass blocking. We were talking and he was like ‘Yeah, I’ll fix that in two days.’ ”
Eluemunor said his respect for Pittman’s coaching ability is high and he believes he can help him achieve his goal of playing in the NFL in order to help his family enjoy a better life after moving to the United States from London in 2008.
Pittman’s track record of putting linemen in the NFL is hard to ignore. The recent NFL Draft saw four of his former players taken during the draft, including North Carolina offensive guard Jonathan Cooper, who Pittman also recruited to the Tar Heels. Cooper was the No. 7 overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals and was the highest picked offensive guard since 1986.
Eluemunor also has commented on the success offensive linemen have had under Coach Bret Bielema while at Wisconsin. Bielema is the only coach to have an offensive lineman drafted in the first round the last three years.
“We talk every three, four days,” said Eluemunor of Bielema. “Coach Pittman I talk to nearly every day.”
Pittman compared Eluemunor, who’s only 18 years old, to Cooper.
“He said he knows he can turn me into one of the best players in the country,” Eluemunor said. “With the right coaching I can be one of the best, if not the best.”
Eluemunor, who’s expected to graduate in December, has set up an official visit to Arkansas for July 19-21. He has also set up a visit to Alabama.
CORNWELL OFFERED
Arkansas extended a scholarship offer to Oklahoma quarterback David Cornwell last Thursday after offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Jim Chaney watched him throw at his school.
Cornwell, 6-5, 235, 4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Norman North High School now has approximately 17 scholarship offers, including Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Notre Dame.
“I know what they’ve done and where they’ve been,” Cornwell said of Arkansas. “So obviously it’s good option.”
Chaney, who coached six-time All Pro and New Orleans Saints Super Bowl champion quarterback Drew Brees at Purdue, is one of a kind, said Cornwell.
“I love coach Chaney,” Cornwell said. “He’s so funny. He’s a unique character. I don’t think there’s anyone on earth the same as him. His knowledge, his sense of humor. He’s just a great guy to be associated with, so anytime you get on his radar it’s [a] blessing in itself.”
Cornwell was selected to compete in the Elite 11 Quarterback national event this summer after performing well at the Elite 11 Regional competition in Irving, Texas, in April. A trip to Fayetteville could come this month.
“I’m going to try and visit maybe in May,” Cornwellsaid. “It will probably be one of the schools I visit.”
LEARNING ABOUT THE HOGS
Cornerback Kendarius Webster doesn’t know much about Arkansas, but after recently adding a scholarship offer from the Hogs, he’s willing to learn.
Webster, 5-11, 175, 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Stockbridge, Ga .,reports having 11 scholarship offers from schools like Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. The soft-spoken Webster perked up when talking about his lead recruiter, cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson.
“He’s a cool guy,” said Webster, who plans to visit Arkansas during the summer. “He talked to my mom. He’s easy to talk to. He said he thinks I can come in as a freshman and play a role in their defense.”
Webster has recorded 10.70 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.97 in the 200 meters this spring.
E-mail Richard Davenport at [email protected]
Sports, Pages 21 on 05/03/2013