Hyper-versatile athlete Ra’heim Sanders announced his commitment to Arkansas on Monday evening, choosing the Razorbacks over a number of other FBS offers. Below, Rivals.com explores what Sam Pittman and company are getting in the high three-star prospect, who could add a star should he show development as a senior this fall.
WHAT ARKANSAS IS GETTING
Few prospects were affected more than Sanders when the Covid-19 crisis nixed the summer camp circuit. The three-star athlete’s name was starting to get hotter by week, and the way versatility tends to shine in on-campus camp settings is undeniable. Arkansas has not decided where it will use Sanders when he arrives on campus, but the Rockledge High School star has spent time playing linebacker, running back and wide receiver during his prep career. Sanders, who plays basketball and runs track in addition to being a do-it-all football star, is an elite-level athlete with an enormous upside. His plight will be becoming more technically sound and specialized at one position. The good news is that the tools that cannot be coached already exist in spades. If Sanders adds size and takes to the finer points of the position at which he lands, he possesses the natural athleticism to become an all-conference type player late in his college career. Furthermore, if Sanders adds the muscle necessary to play linebacker in the SEC, he could well turn into an extremely rare weapon on that side of the ball.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR ARKANSAS
It’s clear the Sunshine State recruiting magic Sam Pittman showed while working at Georgia isn’t dead. If Pittman, who knows the recruiting landscape in Florida all too well, can build on this and start routinely landing South Florida-area prospects with options, it will be a boon for an Arkansas program that sometimes has trouble luring top talent from Louisiana, Tennessee and Mississippi. The depth of talent in Florida goes well beyond the depth of talent in any of those states, so being able to pull second and third-tier prospects out of such a hotbed would improve the current rooster’s talent level immensely.
