Arkansas opted to celebrate the Fourth of July early this year with some fireworks of their own heading into the summer recruiting dead period.
Defensive tackle Stephen Johnson became the second official visitor to announce his commitment to the Razorbacks in as many hours, joining high-three-star Alex Sanford out of Oxford (Miss.).
After adding his offer from Arkansas back in May, Johnson needed just one look at what the university had to offer before opting to make the move from one Fayetteville (Ga.) to another.
"It was a great visit, really, Johnson said. "This one definitely got me opening my eyes about Fayetteville, Arkansas, I'll tell you that. It was real good, definitely a 10-out-of-10 visit. I loved everything about it."
Though the Razorback staff added another Peach State DT earlier this week, offers at the position have come in somewhat of a rare nature. That discretion from the staff caught Johnson's eye, and furthered the tight-knit culture we've heard so much about under head coach Sam Pittman.
"I talked to a few of the recruits and they said that this school doesn't just offer people," Johnson said. "Once they offer you, they want you to be a part of the family. Definitely, this visit really showed that."
With commitment No. 17 in the books, the staff heads into the dead period with the nation's eighth-ranked 2023 class, joining the likes of Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State in the top ten - and they aren't done yet.
A number of recent official visitors have decision dates coming up, and the staff could be in for a pleasant surprise as they make their way back into the office at the conclusion of the dead period.
