Tag: Bumper Pool

Arkansas captains are not just studs, but true leaders

KJ Jefferson, Dalton Wagner, Jalen Catalon and Bumper Pool are the Arkansas captains.

Jalen Catalon might be the safety in the country.

KJ Jefferson is the most underrated quarterback in the SEC.

Bumper Pool is one of the best tacklers in the country.

Dalton Wagner is so big, bad and athletic, the WWE wants him when his college football career is over.

The quartet aren’t just Arkansas’ batch of top players, they’re also now the Razorbacks captains for the 2022 football season. The team announced them as such on Tuesday.

Catalon, a junior safety, was a Freshman All-American two seasons before injuries sapped him of half his sophomore season last year. He’s still a projected first-round pick.

Pool was a second-team All-SEC selection this preseason. The senior’s 125 tackles led the team and were good for the 10th highest mark in the country.

Wagner is a three-year starter for the Razorbacks at right tackle. He was considered a possible option to flip to the left to replace Myron Cunningham, but he’s too good on the right to move.

Jefferson is a darkhorse Heisman Trophy contender after throwing for 21 touchdowns against just four interceptions to go along with more 2,600 yards passing. He ran for another 664 yards with six touchdowns.

The captains were chosen by their teammates.

Seven Razorbacks earn spot on Senior Bowl watchlist

The eyes of Senior Bowl scouts will be upon these seven Razorbacks this upcoming season.

The latest watchlist for the Reese’s Senior Bowl has been released, and Arkansas is well represented.

Seven players were named to the watchlist: Safeties [autotag]Simeon Blair[/autotag] and [autotag]Latavious Brini[/autotag], EDGE [autotag]Zach Williams[/autotag], LB [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag], TE [autotag]Trey Knox[/autotag], and linemen [autotag]Ricky Stromberg[/autotag] and [autotag]Dalton Wagner[/autotag].

According to the Senior Bowl’s website, the Senior Bowl scouting team has been working since last February to identify the “best of the best” draft prospects at every level of college football for the 2023 NFL Draft.  All 484 position players (non-specialists) who made the list were evaluated by our staff and tape-based grades were logged on hundreds of other senior prospects.  Every player on this list is eligible to participate in an all-star game as either a 2018 high school graduate or true four-year player (with five or more games played in three previous seasons).  This list does not include many true or redshirt juniors who could become eligible as December 2022 (or earlier) graduates.

Arkansas had two representatives on last season’s roster, OL John Ridgeway and long snapper Jordan Silver. Ridgeway would go on to be drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

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Hogs ‘D’ is starting to catch up to their offense and that’s dangerous for rest of SEC

Arkansas’ defense is good. Sam Pittman wants it to be great in 2022.

It wasn’t that Arkansas coach Sam Pittman thought the Hogs’ defense was terrible after the team’s first scrimmage of fall camp nine days ago. But he sought more from them.

They delivered.

The Razorbacks’ second scrimmage on Saturday was a showcase for the defense.

“I thought the defense played a lot better today than they did last week,” Pittman said. A lot of times you say that and you go ‘well, the offense didn’t play very (good).’ Well, that’s not the case. I thought the defense made the close plays more than they did last week.”

Arkansas’ defense could be a strength, especially in the secondary. Linebackers Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders are perhaps one of the 25 best duos at the spot in the country, too. But where the Razorbacks must improve is up front. Arkansas’ 25 sacks last year were 13th in the SEC and 80th in the country.

Against the Hogs’ first-team offense Saturday, they were in the backfield regularly.

“We don’t have a problem with unity or chasing the ball,” Pittman said.

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Three Razorbacks included in ESPN’s top 100 College Football player list

These three players will truly have an impact on Arkansas’ success in 2022

Arkansas Football is projected to make a giant leap as a program this season. To do that, it will take an effort from everyone on the roster.

However, the more “impact” players a team has, the more success the team will enjoy.

Arkansas will have several key contributors on their depth chart this season, but three, in particular, have the playmaking ability to dictate a win or loss. Those athletes are quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag], and safety [autotag]Jalen Catalon[/autotag].

Those three players are so important to Arkansas’ roster, that they are viewed as three of College Football’s top players according to ESPN.

ESPN recently posted their picks for the top 100 players in College Football, which included Jefferson, Pool, and Catalon. Two of those players were listed in the top 50.

For a look at where each player is ranked, as well as what ESPN says about them, take a look at the list below:

Catalon, Pool added to another watch list

It appears that Jalen Catalon and Bumper Pool will be competing against each other this season for the Bronko Nagurski Award.

Preseason watchlists are no strangers to Arkansas Football, especially when it comes to DB [autotag]Jalen Catalon[/autotag] and LB [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag].

Both athletes have their names listed on an abundance of preseason award watch lists, but it appears that Catalon and Pool will have to compete for the most recent award that they are early candidates for, the Bronko Nagurski Award.

The Nagurski Award is given annually to the nation’s top defensive player and is given by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. According to the Charlotte Touchdown Club, the award is given to complement the Heisman Trophy, since it is a rare occurrence that a defensive player wins the award.

Pool returns to Arkansas for his fifth season, accepting the extra season of eligibility awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic that altered the 2020 schedule. He led the team in tackles last season with 125, and has made 349 stops in his career as a Razorback.

So far this preseason, Pool has been named Preseason All-SEC First Team, as well as Preseason All-American Second Team by Phil Steele, and was recently named to the watch list for the Dick Butkus Award.

Catalon is preparing for a comeback after suffering a season-ending injury during the sixth game of the season in 2021. Prior to his injury, Catalon made 46 stops with two interceptions. Catalon was recently named to the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award.

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Bumper Pool listed on Butkus Award Watchlist

Pool is listed among the nation’s top linebackers heading into the 2022 season.

One of Arkansas’ most impactful returning starters on defense is listed as one of the top linebackers in the country.

Monday, it was announced that senior linebacker [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag], along with 49 other linebackers across the country, had been named to the Butkus Award preseason watchlist, an award given annually to the nation’s best linebacker.

Pool led the team in tackles last season with 125, with 7.5 of those being for loss. In four seasons at Arkansas, Pool has made 349 stops with 23 tackles for loss in 44 total games. He is set to play his fifth season of college football in 2022, using his extra season of eligibility granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Pool will also be the only returning starting linebacker from last season following the departure of [autotag]Grant Morgan[/autotag] and [autotag]Hayden Henry[/autotag]. Arkansas added help from the transfer portal in [autotag]Drew Sanders[/autotag], who should compliment Pool on Arkansas’ defense.

Pool and the Arkansas Razorbacks are set to open the season on Sept. 3 against Cincinnati at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

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Expect Drew Sanders’ versatility to be impactful

Alabama transfer Drew Sanders will fit perfectly with Bumper Pool at linebacker.

After two members of Arkansas’ linebacker room exited due to graduation in 2021, it was became urgent that head coach Sam Pittman needed an immediate impact player to compliment [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag].

Pittman got that in Alabama transfer, [autotag]Drew Sanders[/autotag].

Sanders and Pool are set to become one of the toughest defensive duos in the SEC and will mesh well with a secondary unit that returns all of its’ parts.

When breaking down the offseason transfer portal moves from around the country, On3 recently listed their top 10 EDGE transfers and has ranked Sanders No. 3.

While Sanders is listed as an outside linebacker, he could float around the defense says On3:

Drew Sanders was an outside linebacker at Alabama, but expect him to line up at different spots for the Hogs. He had a good spring in coordinator Barry Odom’s defense, and has the ability to play both inside linebacker and edge rusher. Arkansas had 25 sacks last season, but only 13 in its eight SEC games. Revving up that aspect of the defense is a must, and that’s why Sanders’ arrival from the transfer portal is so important. Sanders (6-5, 232) has good size, is a solid athlete and holds up nicely against the run.

Sanders transfers to Arkansas after recording 33 total tackles in two seasons at Alabama. The Denton, Texas native was rated as a five-star prospect in high school, and was ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the state of Texas for the 2019 cycle.

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The defensive backfield will hold the key to Arkansas’ success in 2022

An experienced secondary, as well as a loaded LB room, are the perfect ingredients for a triumphant season.

Arkansas Football is receiving tons of positive buzz ahead of the 2022 season, mostly due to the weapons that the offense brings to the table.

But, if your opponent scores more points than you, it does not matter how many points you score.

So, how impactful will the defense be in Arkansas’ success? There were a handful of departures from last season’s squad, but there is one unit, in particular, that could limit the opposition’s production says On3’s JD PicKell.

In his series titled “The Hard Count” that is featured on On3’s YouTube channel, PicKell says that the defensive backs will step up for Arkansas’ defense this season.

They lost a fair amount on defense. They bring back four starters from a season ago. The good news for Arkansas — a lot of those guys are on the back end, So you return essentially a position unit in the defensive backs from a year ago. So they’re more experienced. They’re going to be able to play more cohesively.

The defensive backs, led by safety [autotag]Jalen Catalon[/autotag] who is returning from a season-ending injury, should be complimented by the linebackers as well. [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag] is the only returning linebacker from last season’s team, but the addition of former Alabama linebacker [autotag]Drew Sanders[/autotag] should provide an extra push for the Razorbacks.

Bumper Pool is gonna be someone that I think they look to a lot in the linebacking corps. Drew Sanders was a huge get for them in the transfer portal. A guy who, by most accounts, is an elite player and would start just about anywhere in then country. The tough part is at Alabama, if you get hurt, it’s not a guarantee you get your spot back. So Drew Sanders was playing at Alabama. He was a guy contributing and playing. I believe he was starting at one point in time for Alabama. All that to say Drew Sanders and Bumper Pool are gonna spearhead what this defense brings. I think they’re going to add a lot of security in the second level of this defense.

PicKell went on to say that as long as Pool and Sanders have big seasons, that Arkansas will reap the rewards of another successful season.

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Razorbacks land four players on preseason All-SEC teams

Arkansas’ best two players were justifiably named first-teamers.

The SEC Media Days picks are always the most reasonable ones.

Forget Tim Tebow’s or Jordan Rodgers’ or Phil Steele’s. The SEC Media Days picks are reflective of the league’s assembled media as a whole, giving the selections both perspective and distance because any homer picks are wiped out elsewhere.

As such, the selection of four Arkansas players to the preseason All-SEC teams is not just fair, but reflective of the Hogs’ talent.

Center Ricky Stromberg and safety Jalen Catalon were named first-team All-SEC players while linebacker Bumper Pool was a second-teamer and guard Brady Latham was a third-team selection.

Catalon and Stromberg are largely considered Arkansas’ best pro prospects for next year’s NFL draft as well potential All-Americans. Catalon was a Freshman All-American two seasons but injury limited him to just six games last year.

Photo Gallery: Arkansas takes the podium at SEC Media Days

Here are a look at the best images from Arkansas’ appearance at SEC Media Days on Wednesday

As SEC Media Days comes to a close, let’s take a look back at Arkansas’ time at the podium.

Wednesday, head coach [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag], as well as QB [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag], LB [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag], and DB [autotag]Jalen Catalon[/autotag] all spoke with the media at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.

Here is a look at the best images from Arkansas time at SEC Media Days: