FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas’’quarterback situation got a much-needed boost on Monday with the addition of Florida graduate-transfer Feleipe Franks. Franks, who began classes on Tuesday and will go through spring drills with the Razorbacks, announced his decision a day after he made an official visit in Fayetteville over the weekend.
He chose the Hogs over two other potential transfer destinations in Kansas and UCF.
“Just how genuine everybody is,” Franks said when asked what attracted him to Fayetteville. “I think that’s something that’s really good and something you don’t get much of nowadays, but that was the best part.”
While Franks may not be viewed as an All-SEC candidate, he is considered a solid addition to an Arkansas team that was down to just three scholarship quarterbacks entering the 2020 offseason.
The trio consists of senior Jack Lindsey, a former walk-on, redshirt-sophomore John Stephen Jones, and redshirt-freshman KJ Jefferson.
Jones is considered the most experienced of the group, having thrown for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns with 2 interceptions in six career games. In the last two years combined, Arkansas quarterbacks have thrown a total of 31 touchdowns against 33 interceptions.
Franks, who led the Gators to 10 wins in 2018, has a career ratio of 38 touchdowns to just 17 interceptions.
The Crawfordville (Fla.) native had an up-and-down career during his time in Gainesville, but began to make improvements under Gators head coach Dan Mullen in the 2018 season.
As a redshirt-freshman in 2017, Franks appeared in 11 games and finished with a completion rate of 54.6 percent, 1,438 passing yards and 9 touchdowns against 8 interceptions. He also rushed for a net of 20 yards.
A year later, Mullen helped Franks improve his numbers to connecting on 58.4 percent of his passes for 2,457 yards and 24 touchdowns against just 6 picks through 13 games.
Franks also added 350 yards and 7 scores with his legs as a redshirt-sophomore. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the third game of the 2019 season, but finished with a completion rate of 76.1 percent, 698 passing yards and 5 touchdowns while also throwing 3 interceptions in the Gators’ 3-0 start.
He also rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown prior to his injury.
In addition to Franks, the Razorbacks also added three more commitments to their 2020 class over the weekend as official visitors Jacorrei Turner, Khari Johnson and Eric Thomas each gave verbal pledges.
Turner, 6-2, 205, is a linebacker from Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy who chose the Hogs over Boston College, Cincinnati, Louisville and others.
Johnson, 6-0, 184, was a lesser-known prospect out of Suffield (Conn.) Suffield Academy, but surged to the
top of Arkansas’ wish list after Sam Pittman took over the program last month. Two days after committing to the Razorbacks, Johnson landed a new SEC offer from the Georgia Bulldogs.
He told HawgSports.com on Monday that Georgia’s offer will not impact his decision to play for the Hogs.
Thomas, 6-3, 230, is a weak-side defensive end from Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola (Fla.).The explosive edge rusher only held one other offer – from Colorado State – prior to choosing the Hogs during his weekend visit. However, the University of Florida recently visited his high school and is pushing to get Thomas on campus for an official visit this weekend.
Arkansas hosted a total of 13 prospects this past weekend and will welcome at least seven more to the Hill for official visits beginning this Friday.
The Razorbacks’ class now sits at 15 new additions for the Class of 2020.