Hog futures: Khalia Hackett

Hackett versatile, but Hogs see a linebacker

Khalia Hackett will be a freshman at Arkansas this season.
Khalia Hackett will be a freshman at Arkansas this season.

The 15th in a series profiling newcomers on the 2014 Arkansas Razorbacks football team.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Khalia Hackett excelled at everything as a high school football player.

His skills as a standout safety and linebacker at South Paulding High School in Douglasville, Ga., helped him earn 19 scholarship offers, including the one he signed from Arkansas.

Khalia Hackett glance

CLASS Freshman

HEIGHT 6-3

WEIGHT 218 pounds

POSITION Linebacker

HIGH SCHOOL South Paulding

HOMETOWN Douglasville, Ga.

NOTEWORTHY A three-star signee who recorded 85 tackles as a senior and led South Paulding to its first playoff berth. Had 165 career tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1 1/2 sacks and 5 interceptions. … Ranked No. 52 linebacker in the nation and No. 63 prospect in Georgia by ESPN. … Versatile athlete played basketball and multiple offensive and defensive positions in football. … Musically gifted, he plays the piano, drums and saxophone. … Hackett chose Arkansas over scholarship offers from Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Wisconsin and Middle Tennessee.

Yet Hackett also played quarterback, receiver and running back, as well as basketball, pretty much wherever he was needed.

"He played five positions for us on offense and he was a go-to guy," South Paulding Coach Ed Koester said. "He played every one of our skill spots."

"Wherever they needed me, I was more than happy to play," Hackett said. "I'm not going to brag on myself, but I was pretty much an athlete in high school."

Hackett's versatility might still come into play at Arkansas, although it will likely be contained to the linebacker spots. Hackett said Razorbacks linebackers coach Randy Shannon likes him at middle linebacker right now.

"What I thought coming in was outside linebacker, because I'm a real good open-field tackler and I can run with receivers and all that stuff, but I have some experience at Mike from my senior year," Hackett said after a midsummer, players-only workout on campus. "I just want to play, so wherever he tells me, I'll play.

"If he tells me to play nose tackle, I'm going to learn it."

Hackett's team-first attitude was stressed by his father, Stan.

"I always instilled in him to be the best, be a good listener and be obedient to the coaches and the people in charge," Stan Hackett said.

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said on national signing day that Hackett's running ability and his quick read-and-react skills were impressive.

"One of the things we really feel defensively we need to get is guys that just go get it and just let themselves go and believe in what they're reading and seeing and make it happen," Bielema said while going over Hackett's highlight tape that day.

Hackett, whose SEC offers were from Arkansas and Kentucky, appears fit to grow into a prototype linebacker. He committed as a 6-2, 208-pounder and is currently up to 6-3, 218 pounds.

"I'm trying to get to 225 before camp, so if I can do that I'll be straight," Hackett said.

Stan Hackett said he had a hunch his son would eventually wind up on defense.

"He started at 8 years old, and once I saw him get his first big hit and I saw his reaction, I knew then he was going to have a good future in football," Stan Hackett said. "He was listed as an all-around athlete, plus he played basketball. That's in his favor.

"I see him playing linebacker, middle or outside, basically wherever the coach needs him to play."

Hackett's high school coaches describe him as a pleasant kid and a good listener.

"Khalia's a high-energy kind of kid," said Ben Brooks, the defensive backs coach at South Paulding. "He loves life and he really enjoys playing football. He always has a smile on his face. He's one of those guys who'll come up and talk to your 2-year-old son after a game."

Brooks and Koester also said Hackett can handle the jump to SEC competition.

"If he doesn't back down from the game physically, I think he could fit in right away," Koester said.

Hackett said he has been impressed by the magnitude of Arkansas fans.

"I like the fans," he said. "They really buy in. This is the big school here. There's no NFL, no MLB, no NBA teams. It's just Arkansas.

"Everywhere you go, you're going to see some Razorback attire. When I was in Georgia, they've got UGA, Georgia Tech, Falcons, they got Atlanta Hawks, the Braves."

Stan Hackett said the family's visit to Arkansas set the Razorbacks apart.

"Once we came to the facility for the official visit and saw how good it was, we got a good vibe about it, like it was a family," he said. "Arkansas, I think, is going to be one of the better teams in the upcoming years.

"Once we got to Arkansas, we didn't have to look any further."

Khalia Hackett said he expected Arkansas' depth at linebacker to start stacking up with the arrival of his class, which includes Randy Ramsey, Josh Williams and Dwayne Eugene.

"I'm pretty excited about this group we've got at linebacker coming into my freshman year," he said. "I really think we're just the premier linebackers. We're just ready for it."

Sports on 07/30/2014

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