FAYETTEVILLE – Chad Morris and the Razorback coaching staff got good news earlier this week when one of their top defensive targets made a verbal commitment to the Hogs.
Eric Gregory, a 6-4, 240-pound defensive end from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, flipped his pledge from the Memphis Tigers to Arkansas on Monday to become the Razorbacks’ tenth commitment for the Class of 2019.
Gregory is a Memphis native who also held offers from Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee and others. He had been committed to the Tigers since late May, but a strong push from Arkansas’ coaching staff over the last few months made Gregory re-evaluate his situation.
“One of the main reasons I came to this decision is because I feel that playing at Arkansas will better my future,” Gregory said. “Coming down to IMG made me realize that, when I was committed to Memphis, it’s just better competition and I need to get out more. I love Memphis, of course, but I need to be out more and not just in my own city. I need to experience more.” Gregory was recruited to Fayetteville by Morris and defensive coordinator John Chavis.
His teammate, four-star Arkansas wide receiver commit Shamar Nash, who played with Gregory at Memphis Central High before transferring to IMG Academy, also helped the Hogs in a major way.
“Coach Morris and Coach (John) Chavis played a big role in this decision, no doubt, but Shamar played a big role, too,” Gregory said. “He told me the campus and university were perfect for me, so I listened to him and his mom and everything they had to say about it. It’s just very exciting right now.”
Gregory’s commitment is big news for an Arkansas program that made defensive line a focal point of its 2019 recruiting efforts.
The Razorbacks now have a total of four defensive linemen on board, including three ends and one defensive tackle, and all four turned down blue blood programs to join Morris and the Hogs.
Zach Williams, a four-star defensive end from Pulaski Robinson in Little Rock had a who’s who offer list that featured Alabama, Florida, Georgia, TCU, Texas, Louisville and many others.
Mataio Soli’s list of options was just as good, if not better than Williams’s. The 6-4, 225-pound weak-side defensive end from Douglasville (Ga.) Douglas County chose Arkansas over Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oregon and several more.
Defensive tackle Carl Williams of Lufkin (Texas) didn’t have quite as many offers, but the ones he did have were impressive. The big man from east Texas picked the Razorbacks over Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and Ole Miss, among others.
It’s an impressive group of commitments, but it’s far from being finished. Arkansas could be on the verge of landing another four-star defensive end in Oklahoma City (Okla.) Putnam City’s Collin Clay, who has long been considered a Razorback lean. Clay, who will be back in Fayetteville for yet another visit this Friday, has other offers from Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Oregon, TCU and others.
The Hogs would also like to gain a couple more defensive tackles, and they’re currently in position to do just that.
Marcus Miller, 6-5, 310, of Warren High will be on the Hill this Friday and holds offers from Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Memphis.
Enoch Jackson, 6-0, 290, of Mansfield (Texas) Legacy, plans to choose between Arkansas, Clemson and Texas Tech on August 5. Jackson will visit the Hogs this Friday, as well.
All of the “Crystal Ball” predictions made by recruiting analysts on 247Sports have Clay, Miller and Jackson choosing the Razorbacks.