Oklahoma running back AJ Green calls the Hogs, commits to Arkansas
While Arkansas's commitment on Thursday, quarterback Lucas Coley, initially postponed his decision, running back AJ Green pushed up his commitment from Sunday to Friday afternoon, calling the Hogs early as commit No. 11 in the 2021 class.
Green, 5-foot-11, 195-pounds, picked Arkansas over more than a dozen other Power 5 offers including Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech and more. Listed by Rivals as a corner, Green is committed as a running back for Arkansas–the second running back in the class. The high 3-star joins fellow Oklahoma running back Javion Hunt as a nice one-two punch in the class.
Green has a long history with Arkansas. He came to camp on the Hill in 2018 and was eventually offered by former running backs coach Jeff Traylor. When Sam Pittman and his staff arrived on the Hill, running backs coach Jimmy Smith re-extended the offer and the Hogs quickly moved up the board for the Tulsa native. Green and Hunt were two of 19 running backs Arkansas offered before landing their commitments.
Unlike Arkansas's first two commits out of the Sooner State, Hunt and defensive back Keuan Parker, Green was offered by both large in-state programs but, as a versatile athlete, not every school was recruiting him to play running back. There's a very real possibility Oklahoma comes calling for Green again once visits are allowed.
With those three athletes, Arkansas now has three of the top seven ranked players in the state of Oklahoma committed in the 2021 class. In what appears to be a down year for the state, Rivals only has the No. 1-ranked player in Oklahoma rated as a 4-star.
On top of playing football, Green has also put up impressive track and field numbers. He's been clocked in the 4.5 range in the 40-yard dash and 10.38 in the 100 m. Green has long speed as well, running a 21.46 in the 200 m.
Arkansas will graduate star back Rakeem Boyd after this season, as well as senior T.J. Hammonds, opening up room for the two new additions. In 2021, the room will consist of Trelon Smith, A'Montae Spivey, Dominique Johnson, Hunt and Green.
Green has been recruited by Smith and tight ends coach Jon Cooper, a former Oklahoma offensive lineman who recruits the Sooner State for the Hogs.
Green isn't Arkansas's first success story recruiting at Union High School. The Hogs pulled offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg out of Union in the 2019 class and he was one of just two true freshman starting in the SEC last season.
Arkansas's offense is still lacking an additional lineman or two, which could be helped by Louisiana lineman Devon Manuel who is set to announce on the 16th, as well as a couple more wide receivers and a tight end or two. Check out the top targets for Arkansas at each position on the HawgBeat Big Board.
Green's commitment adds 90 points to Arkansas's team recruiting total, moving them from No. 40 in the nation to No. 35, one spot ahead of Missouri.