Tag: arkansas recruiting

Four-star running back decommits from Hogs, the team’s second loss of Monday

Jamarion Parker’s withdrawl from commitment leaves Arkansas with three players in the Class of 2025 for now.

The chips are falling for the Arkansas football team and they’re falling hard.

On late Monday evening, the Razorbacks lost their second commitment from their Class of 2025 when four-star running back Jamarion Parker withdrew that verbal to Arkansas. He followed defensive lineman Carius Curne, an in-state four-star player who decommitted earlier in the afternoon.

Parker had committed back in September, but Arkansas running back coach Jimmy Smith left his post late in the winter to join the staff at Texas Christian. TCU’s offensive coordinator is Kendal Briles. Briles was Arkansas’ offensive coordinator two seasons ago and worked closely with smith.

Parker did not immediately turn and commit to the Horned Frogs after pulling from Arkansas, though Smith was his primary recruiter. The back also had offers from Tennessee, Wisconsin, Michigan and others.

The loss of the two players on Monday dropped the Razorbacks to No. 52 in the Class of 2025. That ranking is a bit misleading, however, as Arkansas has just three commits in the class at the time being.

A big 2025 recruit de-commits from Arkansas

This is one you cannot lose if you’re Coach Sam Pittman.

This is NOT someone coach Sam Pittman wants to leave the state.

Arkansas had its first de-commitment of the 2025 class on Monday afternoon.

Consensus four-star offensive tackle Caruis Curne posted on X (Twitter) his decision to de-commit from the University of Arkansas. According to the 247Sports composite, Curne had a .945 rating.

Curne wrote in his post,

I have decided to de-commit from the University of Arkansas. I have the utmost respect for the coaching staff and appreciate their hard work during my recruitment. I hope that everyone will respect my decision as I attempt to do what is best for me and my family.

The Marion, Ark. native was the highest-rated recruit in Arkansas’ 2025 class, and with the position desperate for some high school recruiting success, this de-commit is a huge blow to Coach Pittman’s already fragile standing in the program.

But on the other hand, Curne might decide to return home after all is said and done. It wouldn’t be the first time a big recruit has de-committed just to recommit later in the recruiting cycle.

In-state talents like Shamar Easter (class of 2023) and Braylon Russel (class of 2024) de-committed after being one of the first to announce in their respective classes, and both are currently in the middle of spring football for the Hogs.

With Curne’s departure, Arkansas’ 2025 class moves 41st in the nation per 247Sports. It’s left with only four total recruits in the classes.

Sam Pittman lands a commitment from in-state linebacker

Arkansas’ depth at linebacker grew with the commitment of Preston Davis on Saturday.

One of the thinnest groups on the Arkansas football roster heading into the 2024 season is linebacker. With Saturday’s addition, another body has been added to the room.

Little Rock Christian linebacker Preston Davis committed to the Razorbacks as a preferred walk-on over the weekend. He chose Arkansas as a walk-on over scholarship offers at places like Central Arkansas, Harding, Pittsburg State and others.

Davis said he picked the Razorbacks after developing relationships with defensive coaches Travis Williams and Marcus Woodson, especially, he told WholeHogSports.

“Coach (Williams) is a very enthusiastic and energetic guy, which is what you need for football, and he’s very unashamed about his faith in Jesus and the importance … to him, which is very important to me as well.”

A 5-foot-11, 210-pound linebacker, Davis had 132 tackles, including six for-loss with two sacks and a forced fumble last year. For his career, he will leave Little Rock Christian with more than 400 tackles

Arkansas lost its four primary linebacker – Chris Paul Jr., Antonio Grier, Jordan Crook and Jaheim Thomas – from last season either to exhausted eligibility or the transfer portal.

The No. 1 high-school football player in Arkansas commits to Hogs

The best players from the Natural State had been slipping out the door lately. Carius Curne isn’t going anywhere.

One of the best high-school offensive linemen in the Class of 2025 calls the state of Arkansas home.

He will do so for a few more years, too.

Carius Curne, a four-star offensive tackle from Marion High, committed to the Arkansas football team on Wednesday. The Razorbacks earned his commitment over poewrhouses Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Florida, Tennessee and fellow SEC schools Missouri and Mississippi State. Basically everybody.

Most of the recruiting web sites have Curne listed as an offensive tackle. In theory, he could also play defensive tackle. Besides head coach Sam Pittman, offensive line coach Eric Mateos and defensive line coach Deke Adams recruited Curne to the Hogs.

Arkansas should return a lot of offensive line depth for the 2025 when Curne arrives, though if the unit struggles like they did in 2023, that may not matter. For 2024, the Razorbacks have 14 linemen on scholarship with only Ty’Kieast Crawford and Josh Braun seniors.

At 6-foot-4 and 301 pounds, Curne is the 175th-ranked player in the class and the top-ranked player from the state of Arkansas.

Pittman, Razorbacks pick up commitment from Springdale offensive lineman

Arkansas needs all the bodies it can get on the offensive line. Jonas Nantze is one of those bodies.

Jonas Nantze, the newest member of the Arkansas football recruiting Class of 2024, won’t have far to move into his new digs.

Nantze committed to Arkansas as a preferred walk-on Tuesday out of Shiloh Christian in Springdale. A 6-foot-5, 275-pound offensive lineman, Nantze picked the PWO offer from Arkansas over scholarships from FCS power Kennesaw State and the Naval Academy.

Shiloh Christian made it to the state championship in the fall, falling to Little Rock Parkview. During that season, Nantze registered 141 pancake blocks, per WholeHogSports, last year. His commitment was one of the rare waves Arkansas made during National Signing Day on Wednesday.

Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman signed 16 high-school players during early signing day back in December. Another 14 players joined Arkansas via the transfer portal.

Nantze should get every opportunity to have an effect quickly. Arkansas’ offensive line allowed 47 sacks in 2023, which ranked the Hogs 128th in FBS out of its 133 teams. The Razorbacks’ rushing attack also finished 87th in FBS, running for jus 139 yards per game.

Eric Musselman offers preferred walk-on spot to Michigan hooper

Eric Musselman knows he will lose a lot from his roster when the season ends, so he’s trying to fill spots now.

The Arkansas basketball team will have a ton of turnover when the season ends.

That’s par for the course since coach Eric Musselman took over about five years ago. The transfer portal changed the sport dramtically and has required coaches to be constantly recruiting.

TJ Nadeau II, a 6-foot-5 guard from Detroit, was offered a preferred walk-on spot by Musselman and his staff recently. Nadeau would be a part of Arkansas’ Class of 2024, which currently includes the nation’s 43rd-ranked player in guard Isaiah Elohim and the nation’s 70th-ranked player in forward Jalen Shelley.

As of now, Nadeau has been offered by only Saginaw Valley State, a Division II school in University Center, Michigan. But with numbers like Nadeau has put up this year – 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game, according to WholeHogSports – Division I offers are expected sooner rather than later. Arkansas is just the first to get in.

The Razorbacks (11-11, 2-7) have struggled this season after three straight years of making the Sweet 16. They return to action Saturday at Bud Walton Arena against Georgia.

Nephew of former Arkansas great Jason Peters commits to Razorbacks

Markeylin Batton is the nephew of former Arkansas great Jason Peters.

Sam Pittman and the Arkansas football team picked up their fourth commit of the Class of 2025 on Friday.

Markeylin Batton, a three-star athlete from Texas committed late Saturday, choosing Arkansas over Missouri, Texas Tech, Michigan State, Oregon State, Houston and others.

Batton played running back, wide receiver and defensive back last year for his Atlanta High School team. Recruiting services expect he would play running back or defensive back in college.

He joins four-star running back Jamarion Parker, three-star quarterback Grayson Wilson and kicker Evan Noel as the fourth member of Arkansas’ Class of 2025. The Hogs’ Class of 2024 signed 16 players in December. If that number seems smaller than usual, it’s because it is. Teams have focused more on the transfer portal than high-school recruiting since the pandemic.

If Batton signs and plays for the Razorbacks, he will follow in the footsteps of his uncle, Arkansas tight end-turned-NFL-offensive-lineman Jason Peters

LSU offers 2025 4-star safety from Little Rock, Arkansas

Arkansas is a 26% favorite to land Omarion Robinson per On3.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and his recruiting staff took a trip north to the Arkansas Razorbacks‘ backyard to extend a scholarship offer to one of the best safeties in the 2025 recruiting class.

[autotag]Omarion Robinson[/autotag] is a 6-foot, 170-pound, four-star safety from Little Rock, Arkansas, where he plays for Parkview Magnet. The Parkview Patriots finished the 2023 season 15-0 with a big win over Shiloh Christian in the 5A state championship game.

There are no Crystal Ball projections at this time for Robinson but Arkansas is a 26% favorite to land him per On3.

Film Analysis: Robinson is a playmaker not only at safety but also as a punt and kick returner.

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Arkansas four-star signee backs out of joining Razorbacks

The top-ranked offensive player in Arkansas’ recruiting class was granted his release this week.

One of the top-ranked signees in Arkansas football’s Class of 2024 has been released from his letter of inent as of Thursday.

Wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman, the top wide receiver who signed with Arkansas back in December, was released from that commitment, per a report by WholeHogSports. Bethel-Roman, from Texas, was a four-star recruit, was the No. 3 player in Arkansas’ signing class.

Bethel-Roman was recruited most heavily by former Arkansas wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton. Guiton finished the season as Razorbacks offensive coordinator following the firing of Dan Enos midseason. The Hogs then hired Bobby Petrino to be the team’s full-time offensive coordinator at season’s end and Guiton left Arkansas to take the wide receivers coaching gig at Wisconsin.

It’s unclear where Bethel-Roman will sign, though, according to the report, he is expected to sign next week. Wisconsin was not initially high on his radar.

Arkansas is returning every significant member of its wide receiving corps from 2023 and also signed Jordan Anthony, formerly of Texas A&M, from the transfer portal in the offseason. Those additions should help ease the blow in the short term.

Ronnie Fouch was hired in January to take over Guiton. Fouch worked previously at Missouri State for Petrino.

Arkansas baseball Class of 2024 ranked No. 1 in the nation

Arkansas baseball’s freshman recruiting class is the best in the land. The Diamond Hogs are itching for a return to the College World Series.

Arkansas football slumped. Arkansas basketball is slumping.

Arkansas baseball? Not likely now or in the next few years.

Coach Dave Van Horn and his staff have landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation for 2024, per D1Baseball.

Led by left-handed pitcher Hunter Dietz and righty Gabe Gaeckle, Arkansas appears to ready to reload its already glimmering pitching staff. Dietz is the No. 6 freshman in the land and Gaeckle is ranked No. 26. They’re joined in the top-50 nationally by catcher Ryder Helfrick.

Among other contributors noted by author Aaron Fitt are right-hander Tate McGuire, left-hander Colin Fisher, lefty Adam Hachman, and infielder Nolan Souza.

Earlier in the week, Arkansas also added infielder Carson Schrack out of Coffeyville Community College.

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn is seeking a return for his Diamond Hogs to the College World Series. They enter the year ranked No. 3 in the country and will open February 16 at home against James Madison.