HOG FUTURES: LB Alexy Jean-Baptiste plans to play right away

Alexy Jean-Baptiste
Alexy Jean-Baptiste

During an interview in March about his upcoming career with the Arkansas Razorbacks, Alexy Jean-Baptiste was asked about his expectations. His response: "To start as a true freshman and win the Butkus Award."

Lofty standards for an incoming freshman, especially considering Arkansas returns Brooks Ellis -- its leading tackler -- at one linebacker spot and Dre Greenlaw -- who made the All-SEC freshman team last year -- at the other.

Jean-Baptiste at a glance

CLASS Freshman

HEIGHT 6-2

WEIGHT 225 pounds

AGE 18 (Born Sept. 4, 1997)

POSITION Linebacker

HOMETOWN Pompano Beach, Fla.

HIGH SCHOOL Coconut Creek

NOTEWORTHY Considered a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals.com, Scout and 247Sports.com. … Picked Arkansas over offers from Miami, Louisville, Wisconsin, North Carolina and others. … Spent time at defensive end, middle linebacker, outside linebacker, safety and cornerback throughout high school. … Cousin of Peniel Jean, who played as a defensive back at Wisconsin from 2010-2014, part of which was under Bret Bielema.

It's not daunting to Jean-Baptiste, the Haitian-born linebacker who stood by his comments when asked again in May.

"That's something I'm shooting for," he said, "that I can come in and start as a freshman."

Kareem Reid, who coached Jean-Baptiste for two seasons at Coconut Creek High School near Miami, isn't surprised by the self-confidence. Reid doesn't doubt his former player's tools, but he said Jean-Baptiste will have to make strides mentally to start as a freshman.

"It'll be up to him whether he plays early or not," said Reid, who is now coaching at a high school outside of Atlanta. "But, I don't think there's too many guys on that Arkansas team who have the skill set that he has, physically."

Reid used it just about every way imaginable, too.

In two seasons with the Cougars, Jean-Baptiste, who is 6-2, 225 pounds, was used at defensive end, middle linebacker, safety and cornerback. Reid said he thought Jean-Baptiste was best as an edge rusher, where he accumulated 11 sacks as a junior.

"He didn't have to read so much; he could just react," Reid said.

Jean-Baptiste said he enjoyed playing cornerback the best, but he conceded his former coach is right and that he was best as a pass rusher, which would translate well to the role he's expected to play in Fayetteville.

"That's my strength," he said. "Rushing off the edge as the outside 'backer, that's the best position for me."

That's what had plenty of schools heading to South Florida with scholarship offers for a kid who picked up football after watching a cousin play. Born in Haiti, Jean-Baptiste said he and his family moved to the Miami area when he was 3. There, an uncle introduced him to the game he started playing when he was 6.

He grew into a linebacker who received offers from more than 25 schools, including Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Miami.

Reid acknowledged an offer from Miami is often considered a coveted prize for some South Florida high school players. Not to Jean-Baptiste, though. He was appreciative to receive it, but he never really considered committing to the Hurricanes, especially after coach Al Golden was fired in the middle of last season.

"I think Alexy is a kid that wanted to get away," Reid said. "The Miami offer was flattering, but that really wasn't what he was looking for. Even with that, that was by the old staff that ended up getting fired, and you kind of had the feeling that they weren't going to make it anyway."

Jean-Baptiste heard some flak from those around him when he didn't commit to Miami.

"I heard a lot," he said. "Just about how they could come see me play."

But Jean-Baptiste had no problem heading west, hoping for a career path similar to that of another South Florida native. Alex Collins went from South Plantation High School to Fayetteville in 2013 and, in three seasons, rushed for 3,703 yards and was a fifth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks.

Jean-Baptiste's impact will be on the other side of the ball, but he and his coach feel his ceiling could is at least that high.

"I definitely think he can contribute on special teams," Reid said. "He might be able to crack the two-deep. But, again, that's going to be more mental than physical for him. Because he has the physical tools.

"He's fast as hell. He's athletic. I don't think there's too many guys up there that can do what he does."

Sports on 07/21/2016

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