The Arkansas linebacker spot should be a good spot for the Razorbacks in 2023.
But heading into the team’s opener on Saturday against FCS Western Carolina, the unit looks perhaps least like it was expected among all the positional groups. One projected starter is all but out and the other is iffy, though coach Sam Pittman has been somewhat vague on the latter’s status.
When Chris Paul Jr., Antonio Grier, Jordan Crook and Jaheim Thomas are all healthy, Arkansas can roll a combination of near-stars, established talent and future all-league players among its first four.
Grier and Paul could be iffy for the opener, but that may be a blessing in disguise. Thomas and Crook have experience and will get plenty of reps, but the players behind them have almost no idea what it’s like to play college football. A game against the Catamounts will help make that a thing of the past.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the Arkansas linebackers stack up, or rather, how we expect them to stack up by the end of the season.