Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman has said keeping in-state recruits home is a priority for the coaching staff in future recruiting cycles, and the state has produced two defensive linemen in the class of 2024 who have become coveted by programs across the country.
Rivals updated its position group rankings for defensive players on Thursday, and Little Rock Mills' Charleston Collins and Bryant's TJ Lindsey found themselves among some of the best in the nation.
Charleston Collins - No. 25 strong side defensive end nationally
Collins has become a coveted recruit in the class of 2024, picking up offers from Georgia, Alabama, LSU and others including Arkansas. He was ranked the No. 25 strong side defensive end in the country.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound pass rusher has taken multiple visits to Arkansas, most recently being on Jan. 21, during one of Arkansas' last Prospect Days.
Collins has also taken a visit to LSU, when the Tigers upset Alabama in overtime last season.
According to his Twitter account, last season Collins recorded 101 tackles — eight of those being sacks — one interception and five forced fumbles.
Two of Collins' high school teammates — JaBrae Shaw and Anton Pierce — both committed to Arkansas as preferred walk-ons in January.
TJ Lindsey - No. 27 strong side defensive end nationally
Another defensive end who saw his ranking bump to a 5.8 four-star recruit, TJ Lindsey has been ranked No. 27 among strong side defensive ends.
What makes Lindsey different from other defensive ends is his versatility to play both inside and on the edge, something he told Rivals' Nick Harris makes him valuable to a lot of schools.
"A lot of colleges love my versatility," Lindsey said. "They say I have the size to be an inside guy when I need to and the speed and athleticism to be a five when I need to. They see someone that can play anywhere anytime."
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound lineman has the eye of multiple big-time programs heading into the spring, including Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Texas, Oregon and others. He told Rivals that Arkansas, however, is closer than other schools.
"They have showed out a lot, but they're a lot closer than the other schools," he said. "Coach Pittman came and saw one of my best games. Coach Adams, everybody on that staff knows me. I can tell I'm a priority. They want me up there all the time."
