With running back being a major need for Arkansas' 2016 recruiting class, the Hogs will host one of the nation's top prospects for an official visit this weekend.
Devwah Whaley, 6-0, 209 pounds, 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Beaumont (Texas) Central, has more than 20 scholarship offers, including ones from Arkansas, Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama and Ole Miss.
He visited Arkansas in July, but he said he is looking forward to spending the 48 hour NCAA allotted time for an official visit in Fayetteville.
"Just getting a better feel for it and hanging around the players a little bit more and getting to see more of Fayetteville, not just the campus," Whaley said.
Whaley had 234 carries for 1,389 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. He rushed 172 times for 1,225 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. ESPN rates him as the No. 3 running back and No. 49 overall prospect in the nation.
"I think he accelerates really well and has big play potentially once he breaks to the second level," said Craig Haubert, ESPN's national recruiting analyst. "He's a really good athlete for his size. I think if you're an Arkansas fan and you're looking at this visit and trying to figure out why you should get excited, he does seem like a really potentially good fit with his running style and his size. ... [He could] potentially could develop to be the guy that could be a load carrier."
Whaley has officially visited Georgia and Texas A&M, and a recent report said the two were his top schools.
"It's not, not anymore," Whaley said. "Not A&M. Right now, it's Georgia, Arkansas and UT [Texas]."
He said he plans to officially visit Texas in December. Whaley's stepfather Steven Haynes and uncle Terry Roy will accompany him on his trip to Fayetteville. The Razorbacks are in good standing with him.
"Arkansas is in a very, very good place right now," Whaley said. "I'm still pretty wide open. After I take all of my visits, then I'll be ready to make my decision."
Whaley has run 10.60 seconds in the 100 meters and and has triple-jumped 47-feet, 11 inches. Arkansas' thin depth at running back could become thinner next season if Alex Collins is an early entry into the NFL Draft as expected and with uncertain the future of injured Rawleigh Williams.
The lack of depth and the chance for early playing time is attractive, Whaley said.
"It helps them a lot," he said. "One of my main goals is to come in and play right away."
He plans to announce his college decision on ESPN2 at the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 2.
"Sometime next month, I'll do a silent commit and just wait until the All America Game," Whaley said.
Whaley said he mostly communicates Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema, running backs coach Jemal Singleton and defensive backs coach Clay Jennings.
"We hardly ever talk football," he said. "Most of it is asking how I'm doing, how's school going and stuff like that."
Collins is one of three SEC running backs in SEC history to rush for a 1,000 yards in his first three years, joining former Hog Darren McFadden and Georgia's Herschel Walker.
"Obviously that has to be a great feeling for him," Whaley said of Collins. "That's a big deal and that would be great if I could come in and be able to do the same thing."
Whaley watched the Razorbacks dominate LSU 31-14 last Saturday.
"That was a good game, a real good game," Whaley said. "They completely took over the whole game from the beginning."
He liked it
Arkansas linebacker commitment De'jon Harris said he approved of the Hogs' victory over LSU last Saturday.
Harris, 6-1, 230 4.7, of Marrero (La.) John Ehret, picked the Hogs in May over scholarship offers from Arizona State, Oregon, Memphis Southern Miss, Tulane and others.
"The win was pretty big because I get a lot of people always asking me if LSU has offered and I tell them, 'No,' " Harris said. "They ask me why haven't I waited on them because the offer is going to come soon and I can pretty much say this is why I committed to Arkansas because they're better than LSU."
The Razorback defense held LSU running back Leonard Fournette to 91 yards on 19 carries and the Tigers to 59 yards on 30 rushes.
"I watched the game and I was impressed how they shut down their offense," Harris said.
Prior to Friday's game, Harris had recorded 53 unassisted tackles, 18 assisted tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, a recovered fumble, 1 pass breakup and 1 interception. He said schools aren't trying to change his mind on choosing Arkansas.
"Schools pretty much know I've decided on Arkansas, so they're not coming in," Harris said.
E-mail Richard Davenport at [email protected]
Sports on 11/17/2015