The Recruiting Guy

CB pledge to test Fayetteville atmosphere

2018 receiver Byron Hanspard is high on the Hogs.
2018 receiver Byron Hanspard is high on the Hogs.

Arkansas Razorbacks cornerback commitment Byron Hanspard Jr. last visited Fayetteville on March 14, and a day later he committed to the Hogs. He's excited about returning today for an official visit.

"I really want to be around the players and experience the atmosphere that the players give off, because I'm coming from a high school where I've been surrounded by the atmosphere of family," Hanspard said. "Uplifting each other and just wanting to get the best out of each other. That's definitely what I want to be involved in and surrounded with.

"Because growth with your brothers on and off the field is a must. It's vital to a football team that's trying to achieve a goal."

Hanspard, 6-1, 188 pounds, 4.44 in the 40-yard dash, chose the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville over scholarship offers from schools such as Oregon, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Vanderbilt, Colorado, Mississippi State and Texas Tech.

His father, mother and two younger brothers will accompany him. Byron Sr. played running back at Texas Tech and won the Doak Walker Award in 1996.

He's looking forward to seeing things a student at Arkansas experiences.

"Definitely get more answers to questions that might not have been answered in the first visit," Hanspard said. "We can't wait to get down there this weekend."

ESPN rates Hanspard a four-star recruit, No. 13 cornerback and No. 100 overall prospect. He'll play in the Under Armour All-American Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 4.

As a junior, Hanspard helped DeSoto to the Texas Class 6A Division II, state championship, the first in school history. He's determined to lead the team to a second state title.

"The game of football is definitely about patience and understanding that things won't always go the way as planned," he said. "This year we come in with the guys and the mindset and mentality that we want to be better each day.

"Our main goal, nothing more or nothing less, is getting another ring."

He said Tennessee, Texas Tech, TCU, Vanderbilt and Colorado still are reaching out to him.

Hanspard stays in touch with receivers coach Michael Smith, inside linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves, defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads and Coach Bret Bielema.

"I love chopping it up with those men," Hanspard said. "Me and Coach Bielema talk every now and then. He's a very busy man, and I'll shoot him a text about every other week to make sure everything is going well, and he'll shoot one back when he has the time, but everything is well on the communication side."

He communicates with defensive back commitment Tanner McCalister, linebacker commitment Bumper Pool and quarterback pledge Connor Noland.

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The Hogs also are expected to host Earle quarterback Gerry Bohanon, 6-4, 215, and Florida offensive line commitment Curtis Dunlap, 6-5, 363, of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., for official visits this weekend.

Dunlap announced in March a top five of the Razorbacks, Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia and Michigan from more than 40 scholarship offers before pledging to the Gators in July.

Florida and coach Jim McElwain agreed to mutually part ways Sunday after the Gators suffered a 42-7 loss to Georgia.

Email Richard Davenport at [email protected]

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Sports on 11/03/2017

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