Arkansas freshman Davion Dozier 'looks like an SEC wide receiver'
The Arkansas football team held its first practice of fall camp on Friday morning and true freshman wide receiver Davion Dozier was already turning heads.
Fall camp is a great opportunity for players — especially transfers and freshmen — to showcase their abilities and make the coaching staff aware of their talent.
Dozier, a Moody, Alabama, native took advantage right away. A four-star prospect out of high school, Dozier was testing some of the Razorbacks' veteran defensive backs.
"Davion made a couple of catches today," Pittman said. "He looks like an SEC wide receiver."
One of those catches included a nice grab and toe-tap attempt on the sideline with defensive back Aidan McCowan providing tight coverage.
The 6-foot-4 receiver caught 59 passes for 1,325 yards and 19 touchdowns during his senior season for Moody High School. He chose Arkansas over programs like Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Dozier put in plenty of work during the offseason, something quarterback KJ Jefferson has taken notice of.
"Davion is a great guy, a great teammate to have," Jefferson said. "He's young, he's maturing in some areas quickly. Coming in on our off days, he's the first one in the building. He's excited to work, he's ready to work, and he's eager to learn. Bringing in a guy like Davion is a great asset."
Another person impressed by Dozier's work ethic is first-year strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowders, who was the strength coach at Louisville prior to being hired at Arkansas and he has helped transform the Razorbacks over the offseason.
"Davion Dozier, he can run," Sowders said. "I thought he did a really, really nice job today. Showed some of our older guys that he can potentially help us right off the bat."
That is large praise for Dozier, who has work to do to crack the rotation for playing time going into the 2023 season. The Razorbacks added scholarship transfer wide receivers Andrew Armstrong, Isaac TeSlaa and Tyrone Broden over the offseason. Add in a returning group of Isaiah Sategna, Sam Mbake, Jaedon Wilson and Bryce Stephens, and the receiver room is deep for Arkansas
If the first practice is any indication, Dozier has the size, athleticism and catch radius necessary to make a move up the depth chart and give offensive coordinator Dan Enos another weapon at his disposal.
The Razorbacks held their first practice of fall camp Friday and they will have 24 left ahead of the start of the season on Saturday, Sept. 2, when the Hogs will take on Western Carolina at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.