Arkansas coach Sam Pittman extended the Razorbacks’ third scholarship offer to an in-state sophomore on Thursday when he offered one to El Dorado receiver DeAndra Burns.
“This kid is leader on our team as a 10th grader, and that’s something you don’t see very often,” El Dorado coach Steven Jones said. “He’s one of the kids that has all of the intangibles, and he’s very coachable. He’s an explosive player with elite speed, and he has a very bright future ahead of him.”
Burns, 5-10, 160 pounds, ran a blistering 21.64 seconds in the 200 meters before schools were shut down in the spring because of the covid-19 pandemic.
“He had the fastest time in the 200 in the state as a freshman,” Jones said.
He recorded 11.06 seconds in the 100 meters at the Junior Olympics in Iowa as a 13 year old. Jones said schools have liked Burns’ early season highlights.
“We put out his highlight out earlier in the week, and it pretty well went viral, and to get an offer from the Razorbacks, he’s pretty fired up,” Jones said.
Burns was thrilled when Pittman told him of the offer.
"I'm just blessed," he said. "I'm happy, excited. I was nervous. I didn't know what to say."
He called Arkansas his dream school.
"I've been liking them since I was a kid," Burns said. "I like their track program."
Last week Burns had 8 catches for 141 yards and 2 touchdowns against Marion.
Ashdown tight end Shamar Easter — 6-5, 210 pounds — and Jacksonville running back Darien Bennett, at 6-0, 215 pounds, are the two other in-state sophomores with scholarship offers from the Hogs.