Chad Morris went from having nearly an entire 2018 class ready to sign in December on Early National Signing Day at SMU to scrambling to fill the Razorbacks' class with half a staff when he first arrived on the Hill 223 days ago. That scramble (combined with a 4-8 record) caused the Hogs to sign their lowest-ranked signing class in the history of Rivals team recruiting rankings at no. 61.

The 2018 class features two 4-star recruits, linebacker Bumper Pool and defensive back Ladarrius Bishop, but also three 2-star recruits, which, in a class of 17, caused the entire class to tank. However, the 2018 class will most certainly be an anomaly for the new head coach who is already well on his way to signing a top-25 class in his first full recruiting cycle.

In fact, the Razorbacks couldn't come even close to repeating that class ranking just based on the prospects they're offering in the 2019 class. Of 217 offers out, there are only two athletes rated with 2-stars, while the majority are high 3-star and 4-star recruits.

While recruiting athletes to come play at an SEC program, where they'll undoubtedly get some of the best exposure for NFL scouts, great educational assistance and top-notch coaching, sounds easy, if those factors are the bread of recruiting, relationships are the butter.

"Coming into a new place and signing a class on December 20th, it was awful," Morris said at SEC Media Days. "I mean, it was hard. You're trying to build a two-year relationship in 20 minutes in a coach's office with a young man. Or you're going into an in-home visit and you are trying to give a whole spiel at a dinner table without the luxury of building that relationship."

Not only did the early national signing period cause a scramble for Morris and company, it also severely narrowed the pool of talent they could pull from. Only 26 percent of the nation's top 2018 recruits waited until February to sign their NLI.

The Razorbacks currently have nine commits for the 2019 class with more on the way soon with the pre-fall camp BBQ approaching quickly on July 27. Those who commit early will be expected to sign early as well.

"A year from now, when I come back in and address that same question with an early signing period, I'm probably going to be very much in favor of it."

Morris and his staff will only continue to improve as recruiters with a product on the field they can put their name on and more time to build relationships with elite talent around the nation. More than half of their 2020 offers are to prospects with four or more stars.

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