Arkansas’ hot streak in recruiting continued on Saturday when Mississippi running back commitment Rawleigh Williams III flipped his pledge to the Hogs.
Williams, 5-10, 198, 4.51 seconds in the 40 yard dash, of Dallas Bishop Lynch and his father visited the Razorbacks on Wednesday. The Razorbacks received commitments from Fayetteville tight end C.J. O’Grady on Wednesday and junior receiver Jordan Jones of Smackover on Thursday.
“Arkansas stood out academically, socially and athletically,” Williams said. “It was an opportunity I felt like I couldn’t pass up.”
After meeting with Coach Bret Bielema, offensive coordinator Jim Chaney and running backs coach Joel Thomas, the reason for choosing the Hogs on the athletic side was simple.
“The offense of course,” Williams said. “I felt like I could thrive in that system. I feel like that’s the type of running back I am. The way they sold it to me. … I talked to Coach Thomas and he told me why they wanted me and I talked to the offensive coordinator, Coach Chaney and he did the same and then we talked to Coach B at the end for a long time and you could tell they wanted me.”
He rushed 143 times for 767 yards, 7 touchdowns and had 26 receptions for 269 yards and a touchdown as a junior while missing three games due to an ankle injury.
Williams pledged to the Rebels in April 2013. He credits Thomas’ relentless recruiting for another reason for his flipping to Arkansas.
“That really had a huge impact,” said Williams, who also had an offer from Duke. “We really have a great relationship. After the tough season I had, he kept on me and kept on me and he came in the spring and they liked what they saw in the spring and they showed they had faith in me as a football player and as a person.”
Williams, who has a 3.8 grade point average, said the engineering department and academic advisors helped sell him on the academic side.
“I talked to them for an hour and we talked about the different type of engineering things and took the tour of the building and it was like wow,” he said. “Then to the academic advisors to the football team and they have five football players getting their engineering degree right now.”
Williams said he doesn’t plan on switching his commitment from Arkansas to another school.
“I’m done, this is it,” Williams said.
Williams is Arkansas’ 10th commitment for the 2015 class. Oral commitments are non-binding.