HawgBeat's Natural State Top 25
Not a subscriber? Subscribe for free for 30 days w/code HAWGS30
NEW USERS | RETURNING USERS
Since the Rivals camp series, among many other exposure opportunities, were cancelled, there's been a delay for the national analyst team's state rankings releases for the rising juniors around the nation.
Some 2022 players have already received ratings but many of the more than two dozen offered prospects in the Natural State are still waiting to see how many stars they'll have on their Rivals profile. HawgBeat can't dole out stars but we're turning on the tape and putting on our analyst glasses to rank the current top 25 players in the state anyways.
Arkansas's 2022 class is massive in terms of the number of prospects with Division-I offers, thanks in large part to the University of Kansas and former Arkansas Tech offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon, who is currently breaking records for the number of offers out in the Natural State, and to the UA itself, which has offered nine in-state prospects.
You can follow all 25 members of HawgBeat's Natural State Top 25 on Twitter, here.
1. Quincey McAdoo
One of three prospects who already have their rating, Quincey McAdoo is a 5.9 4-star and a member of the Rivals100 in their initial release. Maybe there are defensive backs in the state that can cover McAdoo but none of them are on his highlight tape. He's so hard to bring down he looks like he plays with crisco all over him. Rivals has McAdoo listed as an athlete because on top of receiver he also plays running back and safety. To keep his spot high in the official Rivals rankings, McAdoo will have to continue to undeniably shine because his 2A competition won't help his case when he's continually compared to other athletes around the nation every few months until pen's put to paper.
2. E'Marion Harris
Robinson tackle and Razorback legacy E'Marion Harris has a very, very bright future. He absolutely manhandles opposing defensive linemen and that's not going to change in the next two years, he's only going to get better. He's already up to 6-foot-7, 338 pounds and he certainly couldn't complain about his offer sheet with Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee and more topping the list.
No. 3 Nico Davillier
It's going to be really important to see Nico Davillier in person next season at Maumelle because his tape is limited but from what tape he does have, you can tell he's disruptive, quick and he'll wrap you up. At 6-foot-5, 275 now, he's going to be a great size by the time he gets to college as well.
No. 4 Andrew Chamblee
Davillier's teammate Andrew Chamblee was one of Arkansas's first in-state offers. His highlight tape doesn't catch the eye like E'marion Harris's or the guys ranked ahead of him but you can tell he does his job and he does it well. I want to see more pancakes from the 6-foot-6, 292-pound tackle.
5. Isaiah Sategna
As an olympic hopeful in track and field, Fayetteville WR Isaiah Sategna has that unquestionable speed that's going to make him a target for a lot of wide receiver coaches across the nation. He's got a really slight frame at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, but he has plenty of time to thicken up a bit and if you've got it, you got it, whether you're Calvin Johnson or DeSean Jackson sized. I'm looking forward to how the Bulldogs expand Sategna's usage in 2020.
No. 6 James Jointer
James Jointer got his offer from Arkansas before he tore his ACL but the Arkansas staff reassured him he'll have a place on the Hill despite missing most of his sophomore season. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound running back has both speed and power. He's a breakaway threat once he gets the ball in his hands and he's hard to bring down. Fingers crossed for a healthy year for Jointer to show even more of what he can do.
No. 7 Dax Courtney
You can't teach 6-foot-6. DeWitt tight end Dax Courtney displays solid route running, great hands and good speed for a guy of his size. There isn't too much blocking on his tape and there may never be depending on how he's used by his head coach at DeWitt but what is shown on tape is solid.
No. 8 Kaiden Turner
Sategna's teammate at Fayetteville High, linebacker Kaiden Turner is a stat sheet filler with a great nose for the football. He's just slightly undersized but he's still only a rising junior. Turner's got some deceptive speed and he sure doesn't miss the tackle much.
No. 9 JJ Hollingsworth
Arkansas's first 2022 commit JJ Hollingsworth has great size and strength for his age but will continue to develop in the technical department. He was held back by a broken arm that he had to cast up to play with but with two years left to play, he's far from reached his ceiling. He's a sure and aggressive tackler, and we'll get to see more of him at his future position as he comes off the edge more in 2020.
No. 10 Travelle Anderson
The more I watch Travelle Anderson's tape, the more I like it. He's got size, speed, make-you-miss moves and he can catch.
No. 11 Jaishon Davis
With the build of a thick running back, Jaishon Davis can really hurt you once he gets the ball in his hands. The Arkadelphia offense finds creative ways to get Davis the ball and then he turns on the jets.
No. 12 Joseph Himon
If Joseph Himon was a bit bigger he'd undoubtedly be higher on this list but college coaches are buying stock early regardless. Perhaps he's making a statement by starting his highlight tape with a two handed dunk but the highlights that follow are impressive enough. He's 4.4-quick, shifty and has great field vision.
No. 13 Carson Williams
Carson Williams is a unique lineman. He's already playing center when, for the most part, the best offensive lineman on a high school team plays tackle. Fordyce has the QB taking snaps under center a lot but the few snaps he shows out of the shotgun are on point and he follows it up with interior dominance. He's good at picking up the second-level blocks and he drives defenders down the field.
No. 14 Timothy Dawn
Fairview tackle Timothy Dawn will need to continue to get his weight up but he's got the strength of a much heavier lineman already. He blocks kids into the dirt and he keeps a solid seal on the edge to protect his QB.
No. 15 Austin Myers
One of Kansas's two early commitments from the Natural State, Vilonia QB Austin Myers displays great arm strength, tight spirals and he puts the ball where only his guys can get it. Like most high school QBs, he can still improve his accuracy and placement on long balls but his pocket presence is impressive and he'll only get better over the next two years.
No. 16 Tamerius Bell
Smooth hips, patience, good hands–there's a lot to like about West Memphis corner Tamerius Bell. He stays hip to hip with his mark and from the highlights, it doesn't look like he allows himself to get beat deep. Bell also shows some versatility playing safety as well.
No. 17 Tederian Blair
Travelle Anderson and Tederian Blair are putting Gosnell on the map for the 2022 recruiting cycle. It's hard to watch Anderson's tape and not notice the 6-foot-4, 308-pound road crater paving the way for him. His film features pancake after pancake.
No. 18 Daryl Searcy
Robinson standout Daryl Searcy had impressive stats despite playing only eight games in his sophomore season, he averaged more than 100 yards per game rushing. He's got good speed, nice cutting moves and plenty strength with his 6-foot, 193-pound frame.
No. 19 Omarion Dickens
Like many top athletes in the Natural State, Omarion Dickens plays both ways for Prescott. It's hard to determine early which side of he ball his future is on but he looks like a natural at corner. The more tape Dickens gets online this season, the better.
No. 20 Brooks Edmonson
Coaches are definitely going to want to see more tape from Brooks Edmonson or at least see him in person but from the tape he does have up, he's very solid for Bryant on the right side of their line. As he should, he kept his QB clean in every highlight and did so without any apparent penalties.
No. 21 Charles Nimrod
Bentonville standout Chas Nimrod runs nice routes for his QB and his natural athleticism is evident on the tape. Defenders have a tough time bringing him down despite his size and he displays really nice hands.
No. 22 Chase Jessup
Arkansas apparently just has 6-foot-4, 270+ pound linemen growing on trees. Chase Jessup is another high ceiling prospect getting looks from college coaches. He handles his assignments well, has great upper body strength and the Lake Hamilton offense is often dependent on his ability to clear a path.
No. 23 Brock Burns
New Kansas commit Brock Burns plays with a lot fire and it's evident in his highlight tape. He knocks kids down with his strength and he's still growing, having put on almost 30 pounds in the offseason. I'm expecting to see a jump for Burns during his junior season.
No. 24 Mark Welch
Timothy Dawn's counterpart at Fairview Mark Welch has also caught college coaches' attention. He's obviously got size and strength but he can take his game to the next level with faster footwork and lateral movement. He's great at pushing defenders down field as long as they don't get the jump on him.
No. 25 Jack Struebing
Rounding out the class of talented linemen is Har-Ber guard Jack Struebing. I couldn't find much from his sophomore season due to injury but in his freshman tape he's aggressive and likes to throw kids down. He's the son of Don Struebing, who was a Freshman All-SEC center at Arkansas in 1993 before transferring to UCA and becoming a DII All-American.