Tag: Jadon Haselwood

247 Sports names Arkansas wideout as one of college football’s Rising Stars

Arkansas wide receiver Jadon Haselwood may be the wideout at the top of the depth chart but

Arkansas sophomore [autotag]Ketron Jackson Jr.[/autotag] showed flashes of excellence in his first year in the Razorbacks program. Now, he’s looking to break out.

Jackson was named one of college football’s Rising Stars by 247Sports last week. The 6-foot-2, 209-pounder from Texas is poised to take a leap in his second year after catching five passes for 97 yards and a touchdown last year.

“With WR1 [autotag]Treylon Burks[/autotag] likely going in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft, Arkansas needs a player like Jackson to step up and lead the pass-catching room and he has the ability to do just that,” wrote the article’s author Brad Crawford.

Oklahoma transfer [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag] is likely to be the No. 1 wide receiver when fall arrives. He led the Sooners in receptions and receiving touchdowns last year. But Jackson should be the No. 2. He ran much of the spring with the first-team.

“A guy I like a lot is Ketron Jackson,” Arkansas coach [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag] said. “I like him a lot, but sometimes you’ll go through a practice and we’re not getting him the ball. At times, there’s not a lot of production, but I think he’s a really good player.”

Arkansas Football: “No longer a backup option”

“Arkansas football used to be a backup option for a lot of coaches and a lot of players. Arkansas is not a backup option. They are a destination.” – Josh Pate of 247sports

“Arkansas football used to be a backup option for a lot of coaches and a lot of players. Arkansas is not a backup option. They are a destination.” 

Strong words from Josh Pate, host of the “Late Kick” podcast from 247sports when discussing the current culture change surrounding Arkansas football.

Playing in the shadows of Alabama and LSU in the SEC West for so many years has left Arkansas football at a disadvantage when it comes to recruiting and landing big-name coaches. Before the arrival of head coach [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag], most coaches and recruits saw Arkansas as “an afterthought” behind the likes of Alabama, LSU, and even Texas and Oklahoma regionally.

But, when Pittman became visibly emotional during his introductory press conference on December 9, 2019, when discussing what being the leading man at Arkansas meant to him, that’s when the culture began to change.

The culture has changed drastically at Arkansas since that date. The Razorbacks are coming off a season where they won nine games for the first time since 2011, and won their first bowl game since the 2015 season. Pittman, along with the caliber of coordinators in [autotag]Kendal Briles[/autotag] and [autotag]Barry Odom[/autotag], are what is taking Arkansas football to new heights says Pate.

“When I tell you that people with options are choosing Arkansas… Barry Odom, the defensive coordinator, is exhibit A. For that matter, Kendal Briles, offensive coordinator, is exhibit 1A,” says Pate. “Those are guys with options. These are not retreads, they are not afterthoughts. Those guys could have left this past cycle for what, in term, could be greener pastures. That’s what’s changing in college football right now, in particular, Fayetteville, Arkansas.” 

The staff at Arkansas is building on recent success, with several key players being added through the transfer portal in [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag] from Oklahoma, [autotag]Drew Sanders[/autotag] from Alabana, and [autotag]Latavious Brini[/autotag] from Georgia. Arkansas also has a top-five recruiting class according to 247sports as well for the 2023 cycle. Arkansas wants to stay relevant for many years.

“Just like the coaches, players that are given options are choosing Arkansas. They have a top-five signing class right now for 2023, because players with options are choosing Arkansas,” says Pate. “What’s changing right now.. you hear it out of their mouths, you see it in their actions, is that college football is slowly starting to realize what they realized a little while ago in Fayetteville. They are not a backup option anymore.”

Catch the full quote from Pate by clicking below.

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KJ Jefferson is among the SEC’s best quarterbacks, according to On3

The popularity surrounding KJ Jefferson continues to grow, as he ranks among the SEC’s best signal callers.

As the “talking season” stage of the College Football offseason gets closer, the hype surrounding Arkansas football continues to grow. One of the reason’s for the Razorbacks’ popularity, is quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag].

So much so, that Jefferson is thought to be one of the best quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference. Jesse Simonton of On3 released his SEC Quarterback Power Rankings on Sunday, and Jefferson ranks among the conference’s best, checking in at No. 2. Jefferson is behind Alabama’s Bryce Young for the top spot and is ranks higher than Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, and Kentucky’s Will Levis, among others.

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Simonton believes that if Jefferson has a great season in 2022, that the sky is the limit for his future.

Jefferson is a bulldozer with limbs. The Razorbacks’ 6-3, 250-pound dual-threat talent was 3rd in the SEC in yards per attempt (9.1), had 27 total touchdowns and rushed for 664 yards. Last year was a breakout campaign for Jefferson, but he could become a true SEC star and legit NFL prospect with a monster 2022 season.

Jefferson burst onto the scene in 2021 by completing 67% of his passes for 2,676 yards and 21 touchdowns to only four interceptions. He was also 2nd on the team in rushing by carrying the football 146 times for 664 yards and scoring six touchdowns.

Arkansas looks to Jefferson to build on the success of 2021, as he will have solid receiving targets in [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag], [autotag]Ketron Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Malik Hornsby[/autotag], as well as a supporting cast of [autotag]Raheim Sanders[/autotag][autotag], [autotag]AJ Greene[/autotag], and [autotag]Dominique Johnson[/autotag] at the running back position.

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Kendal Briles in a groove leading Arkansas’ offense: “I hope I can stay here for a long time”

Arkansas offensive coordinator said he doesn’t want to be anywhere but in Fayetteville with the Hogs.

Arkansas offensive coordinator [autotag]Kendal Briles[/autotag], fresh with a new deal, is no longer in the learning stages of the SEC. He’s ready to make the Razorbacks into one of the league’s, if not the country’s top offenses.

In his first year, the now-39-year-old boosted Arkansas on that side of the ball from an average of 340 yards a game to 391. In year two, he took them from 391 to 441. Could another jump of 50ish yards be in the cards in 2022? Briles does head into his third season as Arkansas offensive coordinator with weapons galore.

Arkansas quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag] is the rock of the unit. And with he and Briles in a groove after two years together, big things are expected.

“Having your quarterback back, which you can’t put a price tag on that,” Briles said. “Just having that guy back with experience. It’s actually the first time in my career as a coordinator having a return starting quarterback, so it’s just so nice to be able to have that. Speaks the same language, knows what to expect.”

Briles is a coveted OC across the FBS. He was reportedly in the running to be the offensive coordinator at Miami (FL) before re-upping with Arkansas. The talent returning helps.

Jefferson threw for 21 touchdowns against just four interceptions last year and he ran for a team-high 664 yards and six scores. [autotag]Dominique Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Rocket Sanders[/autotag] are back at running back, too, after going for 598 and 578 yards, respectively. Each ran for five scores. At wide receiver, Oklahoma transfer [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag] led the Sooners in receptions and touchdowns.

“Having KJ back, it would have been really, really hard to look at KJ and tell him I wasn’t going to be here, just because I love the kid and respect him so much and want him to be able to achieve his goals,” Briles said. “Being here for the players and the state and raising a family here, there’s not a better place to do that. So I absolutely love it here and hope I can stay for a long time.”

Jadon Haselwood: Treylon Burks was “one of a kind”

Jadon Haselwood knows there won’t be another Treylon Burks. His humility makes Arkansas love him even more.

Little doubt exists about who Arkansas’ No. 1 wide receiver will be in the fall. Hint: he hasn’t played a down of football in the SEC yet.

[autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag] has been tabbed as  the heir apparent to [autotag]Treylon Burks[/autotag] since he announced his transfer from Oklahoma in the winter. But Haselwood knows there is no naturally filling the shoes of the best Arkansas wideout of the century, if not all-time.

“Treylon Burks is one of a kind and I know everybody expects me to fill his shoes,” Haselwood said. “But you know, like I said, he’s one of a kind. So I’m just trying to get in where I fit in and make plays with the team.”

Haselwood has impressed in Fayetteville with his work ethic and skills. He led the Sooners in receptions and touchdown catches last year, which immediately placed him at the top of the depth chart for the now-exited Treylon Burks. Burks, for his efforts in three years with the Hogs, is a projected first-round pick in the NFL draft later this month.

Quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag] completed 66 passes to Burks last year for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns. Haselwood had 39 grabs for six scores with the Sooners. He compared himself to Arizona Cardinals wideout DeAndre Hopkins.

“I can run routes and stuff like that,” he said. “I’m trying to work on getting my speed back, you know? Just … get more crisp at route running, getting more comfortable really more so with the offense. Just try to learn as much as I can.”

Haselwood is a different player than Burks and unlikely to put up the same numbers. But he’s already showing, with his attitude, that he can be Arkansas’ proverbial next man up at the position.

247sports predicts Arkansas-Iowa matchup in Music City Bowl

How would you feel about this matchup at the end of the season?

Who doesn’t love a good bowl projection?

Despite being over 250 days away from bowl season, Brad Crawford of 247sports has released his predictions for bowl matchups following the conclusion of the 2022 regular season. Where does he believe Arkansas football will end their season? In Nashville, Tenn. against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Music City Bowl.

With the amount, and caliber, of transfers such as [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag], [autotag]Drew Sanders,[/autotag] and [autotag]Latavious Brini[/autotag], mixed in with the return of quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag] and the progression of the program under head coach [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag], Razorback fans may feel that ending the season in the Music City Bowl would be a letdown. However, it would mean that Arkansas would be bowl eligible for the second straight season, the first time that Arkansas has been bowl eligible in consecutive seasons since 2016 when they competed in the Liberty Bowl to close the 2015 season, and concluded the 2016 season in the Belk Bowl.

If the prediction were to come true, it would be the 2nd time in program history that Arkansas has faced Iowa. In their only meeting, the Hawkeyes defeated Arkansas 26-0 in Iowa City, Iowa on October 3, 1925. It would also be just the 12th time that Arkansas has faced a team from the Big Ten Conference, where they hold a 3-8 record against competition from said conference.

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Arkansas Football named one of College Football’s “Most Exciting Teams” ahead of 2022 season

It seems that the national media is picking up what Arkansas fans already know… the Hogs are fun again.

We now take a break from the myriad of mock drafts to bring you something that most Arkansas fans already know… Arkansas Razorbacks football is fun again.

Although Razorback fans saw that firsthand after witnessing the first nine-plus win season since 2011, it is always exciting to see that the national media also sees the buzz surrounding Arkansas football.

Brad Crawford of 247sports recently put out a piece titled “College football’s most boring, entertaining teams ahead of 2022 season”, and Arkansas has made the list as the No. 3 most exciting team for the upcoming season.

Arkansas joins fellow SEC squads Alabama and Georgia, as well as Ohio State and Arizona State on the list. What will make Arkansas football so entertaining in 2022? Crawford explains:

The Razorbacks play an exciting brand of football under Sam Pittman and led the SEC in rushing last season. KJ Jefferson came into his own during his first full season as the Razorbacks’ starting quarterback with 2,676 yards and 21 scores through the air. Nine-win Arkansas was extremely entertaining since a quarter of its games were decided by a touchdown or less, including a 52-51 nail-biting loss to Ole Miss in October and a narrow setback at Alabama later.

The Razorbacks have also succeeded in landing talent from the Transfer Portal. Joining Haselwood are [autotag]Drew Sanders[/autotag] from Alabama, [autotag]Latavious Brini[/autotag] from Georgia, [autotag]Jordan Dominek[/autotag] from Georgia Tech, and [autotag]Landon Jackson[/autotag] from LSU.

Treylon Burks’ replacement? Jadon Haselwood is fitting the bill

Oklahoma transfer wide receiver Jadon Haselwood can fill the big shoes of Treylon Burks for Arkansas in 2022.

Replacing arguably the most successful wide receiver in Arkansas football history isn’t a task for the faint of heart. In fact, expecting anyone to step into the shoes of Treylon Burks out wide for the Hogs and replicate the All-American’s numbers is likely expecting too much.

Jadon Haselwood wants to try, anyway, and so far in spring camp, the Oklahoma transfer is showing he may be on his way sooner rather than later.

“We’ve got to find one, at least one,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “You’d like to find more, but we’ve got to find that Burks type of guy.”

Enter Haselwood, who announced his intention to leave the Sooners for Fayetteville in the winter. At OU, Haselwood led the Sooners with 39 catches and six touchdowns as a sophomore in 2021. The numbers immediately sent him to the top of the Hogs depth chart at wide receiver, where Arkansas has to replace 69% of its productivity at the position.

Burks, who is likely to hear his name called in the first round of next month’s NFL draft, led Arkansas with 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns. But the Hogs also must replace Tyson Morris, who was second on the team with 24 grabs for 337 yards and two scores, and De’Vion Warren, who chipped in 16 catches for 252 yards.

Haselwood spent a practice this week in a green no-contact jersey, which limits just how much he can show his skills. But considering Pittman’s words and Haselwood’s previous production, Arkansas coaches, players and even fans, have high hopes.

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Marvin Mims among the top 10 returning wide receivers according to Rivals’ Mike Farrell

Oklahoma Sooners Marvin Mims is one of the top 10 returning wide receivers according to Rivals’ Mike Farrell.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ passing game took a bit of a hit over the offseason with the transfers of [autotag]Mario Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag] and the NFL draft departure of [autotag]Mike Woods[/autotag]. While the Sooners lost their top three wide receivers in targets and receptions, they’re bringing back arguably their best wide receiver over the last two seasons, [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag].

Mims production in 2021 was a product of circumstance. After leading the team in receptions and yards in 2020, expectations soared for the sophomore receiver heading into last season. With the depth and the inconsistent nature of the offense, it was difficult for Mims to find consistent opportunities last fall.

As teams began to take the deep ball away from the offense, little adjustments were made to get Marvin Mims opportunities in the short to intermediate parts of the field. Just 15 of his 41 targets on the season were within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Only 37% of Mims targets went to the short part of the field. Compare that to Mike Woods (59%), Mario Williams (54%), and Jadon Haselwood (48%), and it’s clear that Lincoln Riley didn’t know how to get his best wide receiver involved. And that doesn’t account for the number of routes run deep down the field where he didn’t get the ball thrown his way.

But as the Sooners look to the future with [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] as the offensive coordinator and Cale Gundy as the wide receivers coach, there’s renewed optimism in Marvin Mims and his ability to lead a wide receiver group that has talent but also has something to prove. Last week, Mike Farrell released his top 10 wide receivers returning for the 2022 season, and Marvin Mims came in at No. 7.

Mims is joined by three other Big 12 wide receivers, including Xavier Hutchinson of Iowa State at No. 10, Quentin Johnston of TCU at No. 5, and Xavier Worthy of Texas at No. 4.

The Big 12 leads the way with four wide receivers in Farrell’s top 10. The ACC is next with three, followed by the Big 10 with two, and the SEC with one.

Looking over this list, it’s clear that Mims could be more involved in the offense. Five of the top 10 wide receivers on the list had more than double the number of receptions that Mims saw in 2021. Two of those receivers had three times as many receptions last year.

Heading into his third season, Marvin Mims has a chance to lead the Oklahoma Sooners in receiving yardage yet again. His big-play potential has stood out since he stepped foot in Norman. Will Jeff Lebby get him involved in other ways instead of solely relying on him as a deep threat? Based on the number of plays and the tempo Lebby wants to play with, Mims will have a chance to put up big numbers in 2022.

Here’s a look at the top 10 returning receivers according to Mike Farrell and their numbers from 2021.

Theo Wease pondered transfer to Ole Miss to join Jeff Lebby

Oklahoma wide receiver Theo Wease said on “The Podcast on the Prairie” that he thought about transferring to Ole Miss to join Jeff Lebby.

Several days after Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma to become USC’s head coach, junior wide receiver Theo Wease put his name into the transfer portal. At the time, there was a fear that the Sooners might be in store for an exodus of mass proportions and it appeared as though Wease would be part of that.

Instead, Wease removed his name from the transfer portal several weeks later and announced his “unfinished business” with Oklahoma. What nobody knew at the time was where Wease was considering.

“I entered the portal because…it was actually, I was going to hit the portal before the coaching staff change happened, if I’m being honest. And then, it’s crazy, so I’m going to take you up through my process. I was interested in going to Ole Miss and playing for [Jeff] Lebby. So, like we talked about me going out there. Come to find out, he gets a job at Oklahoma. Of course, I never wanted to leave Oklahoma, but you know just how certain stuff plays out, stuff happens.

Once I heard about Linc getting the new job, blah blah blah. I’m like, okay, maybe the new coach, maybe this is just my blessing in disguise. Come to find out, I see Lebby gets the job. I’m like, I was just talking to this guy. Why would I leave now? In Lebby we trust. In BV, trust me. They’re cooking up something special and they’re not wasting their time with it. It’s fast changes happening and I’m loving it. I’m excited for it all,” Wease said in an appearance on “The Podcast on the Prairie” with hosts Brayden Willis and Jeremiah Hall.

Given that he was prepared to perhaps join the Ole Miss Rebels, it’s obvious the impression that new OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby made on Wease. Brent Venables is drawing rave reviews from Wease as well.

“Man, I’ve been enjoying it a 100 percent. BV, it’s just his whole mentality, just the swagger behind him that he brings to the team. The energy is just like, it’s contagious literally. We really feed off that energy,” Wease said.

It’s not just a new look at head coach and offensive coordinator. Oklahoma will have a new starting quarterback in 2022. The 6-foot-2, 200 pound receiver discussed what transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel has already added to the program.

“DG’s a great leader. He’s like a people person. He’s just fun to be around. You can’t dislike him. Friendly to everybody, pretty sure he’s cool with everybody. Texts everybody on the team every day, and that’s just him. It’s not fake at all. His arm talent is… trust me. Dime time. That first one not going to come out soft, it’s going to come out hot,” Wease said.

Of course, Wease missed this past season due to injury. Before his podcast appearance, it was unclear what exactly the ailment was. Based on his comments, it was some sort of foot injury.

“It was different, because I’ve never really had a foot injury before. It was just different, you know, just the certain types of ways I’ve got to retrain my body, retrain these muscles how to balance. Like at one point, I was picking up marbles and putting them in cups with my toes. It was crazy just thinking of doing stuff like that. It was I wouldn’t say easy. There was definitely some setbacks, but I had a good recovery,” Wease said.

Sooner fans are more than familiar with the type of playmaker Wease is when healthy. As a sophomore, Wease tied for the team lead with 37 receptions and finished as Oklahoma’s second-leading receiving yardage leader with 530 yards. He had four touchdowns that season.

“Always, always want more. I didn’t really go into the season expecting nothing. I just wanted to do, just go out there and do my thing, play my game, try not to think too much of it. I definitely would say I don’t think I had the season that I’m capable of. We’re going to save that for another. We got the 2022 season coming up, so you know how excited we is, you know how ready we are for that,” Wease said.

Wease joins a group of returning Oklahoma wide receivers that features Marvin Mims, Drake Stoops, Brian Darby, Trevon West, Jalil Farooq and Cody Jackson. OU also signed Nic Anderson and Jayden Gibson in its 2022 class. He has a message for those that wonder how Oklahoma will handle the defections of Mario Williams, Mike Woods and Jadon Haselwood from the wide receivers room at OU.

“Yeah, I definitely think it’s a special group for sure. I don’t think everybody realized how deep we actually were. Losing the guys, it hurt, but we got young guys, we got more guys. It’s OU. We’re just going to reload and we’re just going to go play ball,” Wease said.

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