Eighteenth in a series profiling the newcomers on the 2016 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

FAYETTEVILLE — Paul Ramirez began his college football career at New Mexico Highlands, an NCAA Division II school in Las Vegas, N.M., during the fall of 2013.

Three years later, he’s on scholarship at an SEC school.

Ramirez, a 6-5 offensive lineman now up to 290 pounds, enrolled at Arkansas this summer after playing the past two seasons at San Bernardino (Calif.) Valley Community College.

“It’s pretty surreal being at Arkansas,” Ramirez said. “It makes me more humble and appreciate every little thing about this place and all that it offers.”

Ramirez said his only Division I offer as a senior at San Bernardino Rialto High School was from Wyoming, but he took the SAT too late to be on scholarship with the Cowboys.

The next best option at the time, he figured, was going to New Mexico Highlands.

“I thought that’s where I wanted to be, but almost instantly I realized it wasn’t the place for me,” Ramirez said of the school in north central New Mexico. “I knew I was capable of much more.”

Ramirez practiced as a freshman with New Mexico Highlands — which he estimated drew about 500 fans per home game — but redshirted so he could transfer and have four years of eligibility remaining.

“I was a traveling redshirt,” he said. “The coaches kept asking me if I wanted to play. I was like, ‘No, I’m OK.’ ”

Ramirez returned home to play for San Bernardino Valley after one semester at New Mexico Highlands, with the hope of earning a Division I offer.

“You could see Paul had an awesome frame and moved well, and he really helped raise his stock the last two years,” said John Shipp, Ramirez’s coach at San Bernardino Valley and now the offensive coordinator at Golden West Community College in Huntington Beach. “He took the teaching of our coaches and bought in and believed in what we were doing and just ran with it.

“He grew up a lot and matured and made himself into a guy that could play at the highest level in college.”

Ramirez started every game the past two seasons at right tackle, where he protected the blind side of left-handed quarterback Daniel Epperson.

“He made a big jump his second year,” Shipp said. “He became a team leader and really showcased his skill set.

“He didn’t get a lot of attention early on, but then schools started to see his athleticism and how he played in space, his ability to pull and get up the field.”

Ramirez got offers from some major conference teams, including Louisville, Indiana and Purdue.

Then Ramirez was contacted through his Twitter account by Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos in December. Ramirez at first wondered whether it was too good to be true.

“I kind of didn’t believe it at first,” he said. “I was like, ‘This isn’t real.’ There’s usually fake accounts on Twitter, so I didn’t know if it really was an Arkansas coach.

“Some people — I don’t know who they are — try to pose as coaches. I was always cautious about that. So at first, I wasn’t sure what to think.

“But when I realized it really was Arkansas, they became a major factor.”

Kurt Anderson, hired from the NFL’s Buffalo Bills to be Arkansas’ offensive line coach in early January, said he was impressed watching game tapes of Ramirez.

“When I came on board here, I got tapes of five guys to evaluate because we were looking for more linemen,” Anderson said. “I watched Paul and said, ‘This is the guy I want.’

“He pulled on every other play as a tackle. It’s very natural for him. He’s got great, explosive hips. He’s got strong hands. I really think the sky’s the limit for him.”

Ramirez committed to Arkansas during his visit in late January.

“I liked the coaches, the environment and the facilities,” Ramirez said. “Everything just fit.”

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said he was attracted to Ramirez’s attitude as a player as much as his size and talent.

“You can see he plays with a passion,” Bielema said. “At our level, especially in the SEC, you’ve got to have somebody that loves to compete.

“I liked his intensity.”

Shipp said Ramirez not only became bigger and stronger the past two seasons but he also had the focus to improve his technique and understand the offensive principles.

“He’s a football junkie,” Shipp said. “He loves playing the game. He watched a lot of film and would break himself down in terms of what he should be doing from a fundamental standpoint.”

Anderson said Ramirez likely will play tackle to open fall camp, but he is versatile enough to move inside.

“The way he can bend, the way he pulls, there’s no question he can play guard if that’s where we need him,” Anderson said. “I like his demeanor, too.

“I’m a firm believer that communication is the key to success, and Paul can carry on a conversation.”

Anderson said that sometimes when he talks to a recruit on the phone, there will be just “yes” or “no” answers.

“Paul was finding out as much information as he could and asking questions when we talked,” Anderson said. “After he committed, he continued to call and ask questions.

“You could tell he’s got a strong work ethic and a true, genuine desire to be a very good football player.”

Ramirez said he’s never been reluctant to pose questions to his coaches.

“If I want to know something, I’m going to ask,” he said. “I want to know what’s going on.

“I’m not going to be in the dark.”