Solid instate O-line class long overdue for Bielema, Arkansas

In the middle of his sixth recruiting cycle as Arkansas' head coach, Bret Bielema is finally getting a decent crop of instate offensive line prospects to work with.

If you haven't been paying attention, the Natural State's production of SEC-caliber linemen has been well below average for the last six years, and that's not ideal for a guy who wants to build his program around the line of scrimmage.

It's also unfamiliar territory for Bielema, who enjoyed having a ton of O-line talent in his own back yard at Wisconsin.

For those who have wondered why Arkansas isn't spitting out the same number of All-Americans and NFL Draft picks that Wisconsin saw under Bielema's watch, maybe this breakdown will shed some light on one of the Hogs' biggest hurdles.

First, it's important to note that Bielema has actually produced the same amount of drafted offensive linemen (2) in the first four NFL Drafts during his time at Arkansas that he had in the first four drafts while at Wisconsin.

Wisconsin produced Joe Thomas (2007, 1st Round) and Kraig Urbik (2009, 3rd Round) in his first four years as the Badgers' head coach, and at Arkansas he's had a pair of draft picks in Travis Swanson (2014, 3rd Round) and Sebastian Tretola (2016, 6th Round).

It wasn't until 2011 that Bielema's number of O-line selections began to rise at Wisconsin. The Badgers saw a staggering total of seven offensive linemen selected in a three-year span between 2011-13, boosting Bielema as college football's top-producer of NFL offensive linemen.

Wisconsin has had two more offensive linemen taken since Bielema's departure.

Without looking it up, name the last Arkansas native who played offensive line for the Hogs and went on to be drafted by an NFL team.

Some of you probably said Jonathan Luigs, which is close but still a year off. Some of you probably named someone who's not even from Arkansas. And some of you were right because you said Mitch Petrus in the 2010 draft.

Petrus, who started out as a fullback from Carlisle High School, was a fifth-round selection of the New York Giants. He's one of seven homegrown Hog offensive linemen that have been drafted since the school joined the SEC in 1992.

For perspective, the state of Wisconsin produced 19 guys who played on the Badgers' line before being drafted during that same time frame, and eight of them came under Bielema's watch.

So for a state that already produces less talent in general, a six-year drought of offensive line prospects isn't exactly what Bielema needed when he took over in Fayetteville. And as a result of that drought, he's only signed three instate O-line guys in his first five recruiting classes as Arkansas' head coach.

Compare that to what he had to work with when he took over at Wisconsin, where he signed three instate offensive linemen in his first recruiting class alone.

His first group included four-star Jake Bscherer and three-star Gabe Carimi, both of whom had multi-year NFL careers. Brad Thorson was also part of that group and he too got a shot in the league. Four other instate offensive linemen ended up at Indiana, Duke, Western Michigan and Wyoming in that class.

Bielema's second signing class, in 2007, included an instate five-star signee in Josh Oglesby, who became a First-Team All-Big Ten lineman for the Badgers. Knee injuries would force Oglesby to give up football before his pro career really began. Five more instate linemen signed with Division I teams after going un-offered by Wisconsin.

The following year, Bielema offered and signed three more instate O-linemen. Four-star prospect Peter Konz became an All-American and spent three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons after being taken in the second round. Three-star Kevin Zeitler became a first-round draft pick and is still playing for the Cleveland Browns.

In 2009, the state of Wisconsin produced Travis Frederick and Ryan Groy for Bielema and the Badgers. Frederick would become a first-round draft pick and has gone to three Pro Bowls as the Dallas Cowboys' center. Groy went undrafted but is entering his fourth season in the NFL. Five others went on to play elsewhere without Wisconsin offers.

Bielema's 2010 class included two more instate O-line signees in Kyle Costigan and Dallas Lewallen. Costigan was projected as a late-round draft pick when he had to retire from football due to medical issues. Lewallen was invited to NFL minicamps but never made a team. Three more instate offensive linemen signed with Big Ten teams (one with Indiana, two with Minnesota).

Now let's review what the state of Arkansas has done in recent years.

Last year's class produced just two offensive line signees. Those were Ty Clary, who joined the Hogs as a blue-shirt addition, and Kirby Adcock.

The 2016 class was a decent one but lacked the SEC-caliber talent that Arkansas needed. The Hogs passed on Dylan Soehner (Iowa State), Sam Williams (UL-Monroe), Noah Johnson (Idaho), Jacob Atnip (Arkansas State) and Caden Haws (BYU).

In 2015, Arkansas took a chance on a somewhat unproven Colton Jackson, who had only started as a senior at Conway High. Bentonville's Ean Pfeifer chose Vanderbilt after a close evaluation from the Hogs. Cameron Davis (Arkansas State) and Devante Lovett (Louisiana Tech) got a look, too, but weren't quite what the Hogs were looking for.

The 2013 and 2014 classes were about as bad as it gets, as there were zero offensive linemen who were offered by Power-5 programs.

The 2012 class wasn't that much better for the Razorbacks as Jeremy Ward of Pottsville was their only offered target. Ward signed with the Hogs but had to retire from football after a year on campus. Jason King of Pulaski Academy ended up having a solid career at Purdue after being passed over by Bobby Petrino's staff. Arkansas State landed three instate linemen from the 2012 group, as well.

Until the current 2018 class came along, you'd have to go all the way back to 2011 to find a solid cycle of instate offensive linemen.

That group included three Razorback signees from Northwest Arkansas in Brey Cook, Mitch Smothers and Marcus Danenhauer. Cook and Smothers went on to become multi-year starters for the Hogs while Danenhauer finished his career as a reserve.

The 2011 class also had Mitch Hall, who chose Ole Miss over Missouri but then ended up transferring to Mizzou after one year. Travis Bodenstein initially signed with the Kansas Jayhawks but transferred to Arkansas State, where he became an All-Sun Belt player.

In short, there's quite a difference between what Arkansas has produced lately and what Bielema had to work with in Madison.

And because there is such a drop-off in homegrown talent in Arkansas, Bielema and the Hogs are forced to go out of state to make up for it. That's fine as long as you can get them, but to get the good ones you have to beat a lot of really good programs throughout the region.

That's the challenge, and then of course the ones you don't get are probably going to be lining up against you at some point in SEC play.

There is some good news for Bielema and Hogs, though, and it's found in this year's instate crop.

The Razorbacks have already offered three from The Natural State in Luke Jones, Noah Gatlin and Jax Gasaway (grey-shirt).

Jones, a 6-4, 290-pounder from Pulaski Academy, holds offers from Arkansas, Arizona State, Missouri, Virginia, Iowa State and several others.

Gatlin, a Jonesboro product, has already chosen the Razorbacks over Arizona State, Mississippi State, Texas Tech, Virginia and others. Gasaway, a 6-7, 270-pound tackle from Star City, has options to play at Louisiana Tech, UL-Monroe, Marshall, Arkansas State and others.

In addition to those three, there are others who will have a chance to play ball at the D1 level even if the Hogs don't come calling.

Blytheville's Larry Clark holds offers from Iowa State, Kansas, UL-Monroe and others. Jake Hardage of Pocahontas has an SEC offer from Mississippi State, and Biron Rossell has already committed to play for Louisiana Tech.

Will Burgess of Lake Hamilton has a current offer list consisting of UCA, Missouri State and others, but there's a good chance he'll earn 'bigger' offers as a senior this fall.

Does this increase of instate O-linemen mean the Razorbacks are going to match the success rate that Wisconsin has had for years?

No, but it's a small step in the right direction and one that Bielema has needed since he arrived.