Arkansas wideout Jadon Haselwood is having a solid first season in Fayetteville. The junior transfer from Oklahoma has amassed 36 catches for 467 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Haselwood was a highly coveted five-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class out of Atlanta, and was recruited by Georgia, Auburn and Oklahoma among others. At the time, Pittman and current Arkansas wide receivers coach Jimmy Smith were coaching at Georgia.
This was when, as Sam Pittman recalled on Wednesday, he first remembers learning about Haselwood through his recruitment to Georgia.
“I remember more about that when I was at Georgia because he came over all the time,” Pittman said. “He had a great relationship with Jimmy (Smith) there because I had recruited a couple of offensive linemen from Cedar Grove, Georgia.”
Despite missing out on Haselwood initially, Pittman and Smith had a second chance this past offseason when the wideout announced he was transferring from Oklahoma.
“This process here (at Arkansas) was really fast,” recalled Pittman. “We found out he was in the (transfer) portal. Obviously, Jimmy had a relationship there. I went to Jim once that happened and said, ‘Do we have an opportunity?’ Jim said ‘Oh, yeah.’ To be perfectly honest with you, we went out there to Atlanta and it was over about as soon as it started. It was a very fast process.”
The move from Oklahoma to Arkansas has paid off for Haselwood, as he’s posted the best numbers of his career this season, with four games still left to play. The move also helped the Hogs fill a major need after losing star wideout Treylon Burks to the NFL last season.
“I think he’s really helped the wide receiver room,” Pittman said. “I think we’re a better room because Haselwood is here. I would say the same thing with Burks a year ago. I think we’re a better room.”
“He’s just got that ‘it’ factor and has as long as I’ve known him. He’s done a wonderful job of being a team leader when it’s very, very hard to be that way in one year.”
Haselwood put up another stellar performance against Auburn a week ago, catching five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown despite fumbling early in the first quarter. He looks to continue to build on a good first season with the Hogs on Saturday against No. 23 Liberty.
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