Junior college offensive lineman Chibueze Nwanna orally committed to the University of Arkansas on Wednesday and plans to enroll in January.
Nwanna, 6-8, 315 pounds, of Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa., chose the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Maryland, Louisville, Massachusetts, Cincinnati, San Diego State, East Carolina and Southern Mississippi.
He made an official visit to Fayetteville over the weekend with his mother.
"I chose to be a Razorback because I liked what I saw this weekend," Nwanna said. "I want to be a part of a program that's rebuilding and go somewhere I can compete for a spot and start. Also they have good people there and good fans. Everybody takes care of each other."
Offensive line coach Dustin Fry was Nwanna's lead recruiter.
"Coach Fry is a good coach," Nwanna said. "I was talking to him during the visit, and it just seemed like they had a lot to offer. He's a very cool guy. He keeps it straightforward with his players, and he kept it straightforward with me."
Lackawanna College Coach Mark Duda said Nwanna's length rivals anyone in the nation.
"He was born with such incredible leverage," Duda said. "He's probably 6-8½ or somewhere in there and 320 pounds, and has the longest arms of anyone probably in the NCAA."
Nwanna's reach sets him up to be good at pass and run blocking.
"His ability to pass set a guy and then keep that distance between him and the opponent is just unbelievable," Duda said. "Plus, his reach really helps him when he is run blocking as well on people inside because he has more range."
He becomes the second junior college offensive lineman to commit to Arkansas in two days after Iowa Central Community College offensive lineman Myron Cunningham's pledge Tuesday.
Nwanna, who's expected to play left tackle, attended Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Md., prior to attending junior college.
Cunningham, along with preferred walk-on offensive lineman Andrew Vest of Searcy, also will enroll in January.
Arkansas also has three high school offensive line commitments to go along with Cunningham and Nwanna. The Hogs now have 14 scholarship offensive linemen on campus or committed to the program.
Nwanna becomes the Razorbacks' 25th public commitment for the 2019 class. Oral commitments are nonbinding. The Hogs plan to sign 29 prospects in the 2019 class.
Sports on 12/13/2018