Arkansas' 2024 class shaping up to be Pittman's best yet
By adding the commitments of four-stars Courtney Crutchfield, Charleston Collins and Jaden Allen on Friday, the Arkansas Razorbacks are now up to seven four-star commits in the 2024 class.
The three pledges is believed to be the first time in the Rivals era that Arkansas has added three four-star commitments on the same day. On National Signing Day in 2020, Arkansas landed Marcus Henderson, Jalen St. John and Malik Hornsby. Only St. John was a 4-star on Rivals, but Henderson and Hornsby were 4-stars in the 247 composite.
A wide receiver out of Pine Bluff, Crutchfield chose the Hogs over Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M and more. Collins is a defensive end out of Little Rock Mills High School and a good friend of Crutchfield's as a native of Pine Bluff, and he chose Arkansas over many of the same schools as Crutchfield.
Allen is a cornerback out of Aledo High School in Aledo, Texas, and he is a former Texas commit. The 6-foot, 170-pounder chose Arkansas over Tennessee and Alabama.
Head coach Sam Pittman now has at least seven four-star recruits in a class for the second time during his tenure in Fayetteville (2023), and it is just the fourth time in the Rivals era that Arkansas has gained at least seven four-star commitments in a single class.
Arkansas' 2023 class featured eight four-stars and 20 total high school commitments. Ranked No. 20 nationally, the class was Pittman's best with the Hogs since he took over in Dec. 2019. With eight total commitments and seven four-stars to this point, the 2024 class is shaping up to surpass the 2023 group and it currently ranks No. 12 nationally on Rivals.
Pittman prioritized recruiting in his offseason assistant hires and it's paid off so far. New defensive coordinator Travis Williams, co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson and secondary coach Deron Wilson have all done a tremendous job of selling themselves and Arkansas.
Woodson specifically has worked wonders in his home state of Mississippi by helping the Razorbacks earn the commitment of four-stars Noreel White and JuJu Pope.
"Coach Woodson knows how to teach young men, and he's great at what he does," Pope told Rivals.
2025 three-star defensive back Caleb Chester told HawgBeat after his visit to Fayetteville on April 8 that Woodson makes it more about football.
"I think it's just the way he coaches," Chester said. "He's just a really good coach. To him, it's more than just football. It's about life and how he makes you as a man. He's just a real good coach. I really like him and I've got a good relationship with him.”
Woodson has now extended his reach to Texas, where he landed Jaden Allen from. The former Texas commit chose Arkansas over two big-time programs in Tennessee and Alabama and it's safe to say Woodson played a big role in that.
As far as Collins and Crutchfield go, the pair are staying home, which was a big thing Pittman has set out to do — keep the top in-state talent from leaving the state.
"Well, our number one goal each year is to keep everyone that we've offered in the state," Pittman said on Feb. 1. "We've done that pretty well. I think we lost one maybe a year ago or two years ago, but our high school coaches in the state are tremendous to us.
"We want to be good to them, as well, but guys, I just feel like when the fourth quarter comes, I think it means a lot to everybody, maybe a little bit more to a guy that's maybe been born and raised a Hog fan. We certainly have a lot in next year's class that we're looking at. It seems to be a pretty good class in the state. It means everything to us."
Crutchfield is rated as the No. 4 player in the state and Collins is the No. 5 player, according to Rivals.
Walker White is the No. 1 in-state 2024 prospect out of Little Rock Christian and he committed to Auburn on Feb. 3.
Four-star Benton running back Braylen Russell is the No. 2 recruit in Arkansas and he has a commitment date of July 14, when he will decide between Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Baylor and Texas A&M. Russell committed to Arkansas on Nov. 6, 2021, but he decommitted on Oct. 9, 2022.
Rounding out the top five is four-star linebacker Brian Huff out of Valley View High School in Jonesboro. The No. 3 in-state prospect last visited Arkansas on Jan. 29.
Arkansas' 2024 class is far from complete as it features just eight commits so far. Stay tuned to HawgBeat's premium message board The Trough for the latest intel and rumors.
Arkansas' 2024 recruiting class
~ Four-star QB KJ Jackson, committed April 9
~ Four-star ATH Julius "JuJu" Pope, committed April 8
~ Four-star WR Courtney Crutchfield, committed April 21
~ Four-star DE Kavion Henderson, committed Nov. 6, 2022
~ Four-star DE Charleston Collins, committed April 21
~ Four-star DB Jaden Allen, committed April 21
~ Four-star DB Noreel White, committed March 13
~ Three-star DT Dion Stutts, committed March 11