Offensive tackle Garett Bolles is a major recruiting priority for Arkansas, and the Razorbacks are hoping to get one of his official visits.
Bolles, 6-5, 303 pounds, 4.87 seconds in the 40 yard dash, plays for Snow College in Utah and has been talking with Razorbacks offensive line coach Sam Pittman and Coach Bret Bielema. He has 22 scholarship offers from schools that include Arkansas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Arizona State, Florida State, Auburn, Oregon, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
Bolles is one of the more highly regarded linemen to come from the junior college ranks in recent years. Last year was his first to play on the offensive line after playing defensive end and linebacker at Westlake High School in Lehi, Utah.
He almost made a trip to Fayetteville for Arkansas' three-day camp Jun 14-16.
"I feel good about them," Bolles said. "I was suppose to go out there for their camp. My coaches were going to coach it, but something came up so I couldn't make it."
A visit to Fayetteville this summer is unlikely because Bolles plans to focus on summer school and preparations for his wedding Dec. 12. He is engaged to Natalie Williams. He said he'd like to visit schools in November or early December.
"I'm not a 100 percent sure," Bolles said. "That's when I'll probably take my trips, and they're definitely in the mix for me to come out there for an official trip."
Bolles said Auburn and Arizona State are his top two schools.
"There are about three spots that some school could slip in there, and Arkansas is definitely one of those contenders," he said.
Bolles said he's been impressed with Arkansas' recruiting efforts so far.
"They've been diligent in recruiting me during the best time of my life," he said.
Bolles' fiancee plans to major in special education, and he plans to study social work and minor in criminal justice
"I love kids," Bolles said. "Hopefully one day I can open up a foundation for troubled teens and help those kids out with their struggles."
Bolles said part of his desire to help troubled children stems from his childhood.
"I was a troubled teen myself before I turned my life around and changed and grew up and became a man," Bolles said.
Bolles said he had issues with drugs and alcohol and became affiliated with gangs. That led to problems at home, and eventually his father made him leave.
Bolles found himself on the side of the road Aug. 26, 2011, with nowhere to go when Greg Freeman, a neighbor who also was Bolles' lacrosse coach, stopped to check on him.
"I was struggling and crying, and he pulled over and asked what he could do," Bolles said. "He has a big heart. He knew something was wrong, so he threw my stuff in the back of the truck and took me home to his wife."
Freeman and his wife took in Bolles. They established strict rules and made him disassociate from past friends who were poor influences.
Bolles said the tough love turned around his life.
"I never really had a mom in my life, and she told me she loved me and I'll always be her child for the rest of her life," he said. "I've just been so grateful."
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Sports on 06/26/2015