FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas begins fall football practices next week, but recruiting is the first order of business for Chad Morris and his football staff this week. The NCAA’s dead period ends at midnight on Wednesday and transitions into a week long quiet period, which allows coaches to have recruits back on campus for unofficial visits.
The Razorbacks will take full advantage of the calendar on Friday when they welcome dozens of their most coveted targets for the Class of 2020 and beyond. Several four-star prospects will be in attendance, including one of the nation’s top-ranked junior college players in cornerback Brian George of Highland (Kan.) Highland Community College.
George, 6-2, 190, holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Miami, Nebraska and many others, including the Razorbacks.The Florida native is being recruited to Fayetteville by cornerbacks coach Mark Smith, who has already led the Hogs to one cornerback commitment in this year’s class in Jamie Vance of New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr.
George is one of two, four-star cornerbacks expected to be in attendance, as high school standout Dwight McGlothern of Spring (Texas) Klein Oak has also confirmed his intentions to make the trip. McGlothern, 6-1, 180, is the nation’s No. 13 cornerback for this year’s class and has offers from the likes of Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU, Michigan and many others. He is also being recruited by Smith.
Arkansas will also get another chance to host four-star linebackers Martavius French and Bryson Eason of Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven.
French, 6-2, 235, and Eason, 6-2, 250, have multiple SEC offers and have been high priorities for the Razorbacks for well over a year.
This week’s recruiting cookout isn’t all about prospects in the current class, as the Razorbacks are also hosting a handful of elite players from the 2021 class. One of them, defensive end Landon Jackson of Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove, is a borderline five-star as the No. 36 overall prospect in the nation.
Jackson, 6-6, 240, unsurprisingly owns a who’s-who offer list, but the Razorbacks are in the running due to him having family living in Fayetteville. Jackson’s family also has close ties to Arkansas associate head coach/running backs coach Jeff Traylor, who is the Hogs’ lead recruiter for all east Texas targets.
In addition to Jackson, Traylor is also welcoming three more of his four-star 2021 targets in linebacker Clayton Smith of Texarkana (Texas), and a pair of running backs in LJ Johnson of Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair and Brandon Campbell of Pearland (Texas).
Smith, 6-4, 215, is the No. 124 overall prospect in the land and Johnson, 5-10, 204, is just behind him at No. 137 in the latest rankings. Campbell, 5-10, 190, comes in at No. 249 nationally.
In addition to the undecided targets visiting on Friday, the Hogs will also welcome some of their already-committed prospects for the 2020 class.
Quarterback Chandler Morris of Dallas (Texas) Highland Park, offensive lineman Ty’Kieast Crawford of Carthage (Texas), defensive end Blayne Toll of Hazen (Ark.), and defensive end Jashaud Stewart of Jonesboro (Ark.) are among the Razorbacks’ four-star commitments who plan to be on hand to help recruit other players.
Arkansas’ cookout event, which produced a total of four verbal commitments in last year’s class, is set to begin at around midday and run through the evening.
The day’s festivities will include traditional tours of the athletics and academic facilities, one-on-one time with staff members, an opportunity to wear the new uniforms in a photoshoot, and will conclude with a cookout and games on the outdoor practice fields.