University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman and his staff received some early fireworks before the Fourth of July with the oral commitments from defensive back Jaylen Lewis and linebacker Mani Powell on Friday.
Lewis, 6-2, 175 pounds, of Brownsville (Tenn.) Haywood, chose the Razorbacks over about 40 offers from schools such as Florida State, Auburn, Oklahoma, LSU, Michigan, Duke, Cincinnati, Michigan State, South Carolina and other programs.
He officially visited Fayetteville from June 18-20.
"Once I stepped off that plane after landing in Fayetteville, I just felt a different vibe," said Lewis, who's being recruited to play cornerback. "As soon I stepped off [the plane], it felt like home. First thing I heard when I stepped off was 'Go Hogs,' and I just felt so different."
Inspired by the movie "Twister," Lewis said he wants to be a meteorologist because of his fondness of tornadoes, which matches his destructive style of play on defense.
"What really stands out to me is he's obviously really fast, just like a lot of DBs are, but one of the things he does really well, in my opinion, is he's very physical," Haywood Coach Chris Smith said. "He loves to come down and loves to hit."
Near the end of his trip to Fayetteville, his allegiance was swayed.
"At the end of the last day of my official visit, I knew I wanted to be a Hog, a Razorback," Lewis said.
CBS Sports Network national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming rates Lewis a 3-star-plus prospect.
He recorded 60 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 7 interceptions, 4 pass breakups and 2 sacks, and scored 3 touchdowns on offense. Lewis also officially visited Auburn and Memphis.
Cornerbacks coach Sam Carter, who was his lead recruiter, formed a connection with Lewis.
"He's an unbelievable coach, man," Lewis said. "I love Coach Carter. He played a big role in me committing to Arkansas. Our vibe and our bond is so different from the other bonds I have with other coaches. Coach Carter is my guy, man."
Lewis and Arkansas defensive back target Anthony Brown of Milan (Tenn.) are good friends. Brown is expected to announce his decision July 29.
"I'm going to give him an earful," Lewis said. "I'm going to try and make him feel the same things I felt."
Powell, 6-2, 220, of Canton McKinley (Ohio) High School, pledged to the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Michigan, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Missouri, Syracuse, West Virginia, Indiana, Boston College, Marshall and others.
"They ... showed me everything I was looking for in a school," Powell said of Arkansas. "They took me in as family. They kept it real with me and let me know they wanted and needed me. They presented the University of Arkansas in a way that no one else presented their school."
Like linebackers coach Michael Scherer in high school, Powell also wrestles. He qualified for the state wrestling meet as a sophomore and junior.
Scherer was aggressive in staying in touch with him.
"I'd say biggest impact he did was a great job of sticking with me in the recruitment process and showing me there was a home in Arkansas," Powell said.
Lemming said Powell is a 3-star-plus recruit with 4-star potential. Scherer was his lead recruiter.
He had 81 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 7 quarterback pressures as a junior. He was named to the first team of the Division I All-Ohio football team by The Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.
Powell is also an outstanding thrower in track and field. He finished fifth in the state meet in the shot put and third in the discus with throws of 57 feet, 8 inches and 169 feet, respectively. He had set the school record in the discus with a throw of 182-6 to break the previous record of 179-9 that was set in 1997.
He took an official visit to Arkansas from June 4-6, and he said that got the wheels in motion for his commitment.
"Everything from presentation to the people to just the feel of the place," he said. "They treated me as if I was their family and I felt it. They made my mom and sister feel like family, and it meant a lot."
He announced a top six of Arkansas, Michigan, Syracuse, West Virginia, Indiana and Toledo. He visited his other finalists with the exception of Toledo.
Lewis and Powell are the 13th and 14th commitments in the Class of 2022 for the Hogs. Oral commitments are nonbinding.
