Louisiana 3-star OT Dylan Rathcke Calls the Hogs, Commits to Arkansas
Just two weeks after receiving his scholarship offer from the Arkansas staff, Louisiana offensive tackle Dylan Rathcke has decided to call the Hogs and become a Razorback. The Rivals 3-star informed the coaches of his decision on Tuesday night, a couple days after returning home from an unofficial visit at Kentucky. The Wildcats had been recruiting Rathcke hard but said after his visit that it just didn't feel better than Arkansas.
"It feels great to have committed," Rathcke said. "I feel like I’m at home at Arkansas. It was the first place where everything felt right for my entire family. I have been looking for a program that can develop me academically and athletically. Also a place that I could see myself living at for 4 or more years. Arkansas was the perfect fit for everything."
Rathcke becomes the Razorbacks' 23rd 2019 commit and third offensive line commit after the decommitment of Joseph Stone just a week ago. Rathcke joins Oklahoma's Brady Latham and Texas's Beaux Limmer and he's the first 2019 commit out of Louisiana though there are likely more to come. The Hogs now have commits from nine different states: Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama and Georgia.
Out of University Lab High School in Baton Rouge, Rathcke started picking up Division-I interest. He did the college camp circuit and picked up his first offers from Texas State and Tulane in November of his junior year. Now, Rathcke holds 13 offers including Louisville, Arkansas State, Colorado State and more.
"I’ve always dreamed of playing for a SEC team," Rathcke said. "To me the South Eastern Conference is the most prestigious conference in football. SEC schools all have amazing facilities and play the toughest football every week. I really like that Arkansas is in the West. I think the SEC West will give me the opportunity to compete with and against the best players in the nation."
Rathcke visited the Hill promptly after receiving his initial interest from Dustin Fry and the rest of the staff and despite witnessing the Razorbacks fall to Vanderbilt, he said he had a great time getting to know the coaches better and seeing the game day environment in Fayetteville.
"I believe in what Coach Morris and his staff are building at Arkansas," Rathcke said. "I can’t wait to work with Coach Dustin Fry and learn his style."
The 6-foot-5, 290-pound tackle prides himself on both his pass and run blocking and is a much needed addition to the Razorbacks' 2019 recruiting class that is still searching for a couple more offensive lineman either from the JUCO level or transfer additions. The Razorbacks will lose three seniors on the offensive line in 2019 and though Rathcke will likely need a season to be ready to take significant game reps, he's at least got the size and mobility to have a competitive shot at playing time.
"I feel that I have a lot to offer Arkansas," Rathcke said. "I am a team player and I’m very coachable. I pride myself in being an athletic lineman. I know once I get with the Arkansas strength staff they will take me to another level also."
Arkansas's 2019 class ranking remains the same as the Rivals formula only accounts for the top-20 highest rated commitments in a class. The Razorbacks maintain their historic ranking at no. 12 and they sit at no. 6 in the SEC with only 23 points separating them from no. 10 Tennessee.
Read what the ideal finish to this 2019 class looks like here.
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