FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Razorbacks are set to hit the field Saturday for the second and final scrimmage of fall camp.
Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom said Saturday's scrimmage is going to give the staff a good idea of where the team stands with two weeks left until Week 1.
"You want to establish as close as you can your top 11," Odom said Thursday. "You want to establish who is the top 22, and really you look at it at this point if we were playing Saturday who can help us in what positions, play winning football and who is ready to go do that."
The Hogs' first scrimmage gave a good idea of how the team looked in live action, even though they just thudded instead of tackled. The second scrimmage will allow the staff to focus in on who they think the impactful players for this season will be.
The media has seen 12 practices through 13 days of fall camp and talked with players and coaches after each day. Based on what we have seen and heard, here is HawgBeat's projected depth chart going into the second scrimmage of fall camp:
OFFENSE
Quarterbacks
1st team - KJ Jefferson
2nd team - Malik Hornsby
3rd team - Cade Fortin
Jefferson is the clear No. 1 quarterback for the Hogs and he will likely be one of the top passers in the SEC. Despite taking reps at wide receiver, Hornsby is still the clear backup for Jefferson. Fortin is a guy that has received a lot of praise from Pittman and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles said he is No. 2 in QB efficiency during camp (1 - Jefferson, 3 - Hornsby).
Running Backs
1st team - Raheim Sanders
2nd team - AJ Green
3rd team - Rashod Dubinion
Sanders has taken all the first team reps at running back with Dominique Johnson out to this point in fall camp. He will be the starter until Johnson returns and might keep the job even when Johnson is back.
The gap between Green and Dubinion continues to shrink as we go through fall camp. On Thursday, Dubinion ran first-team reps during fastball and split out wide at receiver a few times. As of now, Green is still the No. 2 guy, but Saturday's scrimmage could change that.
Wide Receiver
1st team - Jadon Haselwood, Warren Thompson, Matt Landers
2nd team - Ketron Jackson Jr., Bryce Stephens, Isaiah Sategna
3rd team - Sam Mbake, Quincey McAdoo, Harper Cole
Receiver has been one of the more inconsistent positions during fastball periods.
Haselwood is a no-doubt first team guy and with the way players and coaches have been talking, Landers can be added to that conversation as well. Thompson has been praised a lot and Pittman said Thompson took a huge step forward this year.
Jackson and Stephens are two second-year guys that know the offense well and can take a step forward. Sategna is a highly-touted, speedy freshman that Pittman really likes.
Mbake and McAdoo are two freshmen who have looked really sharp in camp and have made limited mistakes in the media viewing periods. Cole is a shifty guy with speed and the ability to get past defenders easier than the bigger recievers.
Tight End
1st team - Trey Knox
2nd team - Nathan Bax
3rd team - Tyrus Washington
Knox made the switch to tight end last season and he could end up being an elite player at the position this year.
Bax has consistently been the second team tight end through fall camp and he might have a year like Blake Kern did last season. He is a redshirt senior with a big frame (6-4, 260) and he fits right in with the run-first approach Arkansas has.
Washington, a freshman, has made some nice plays as a receiving tight end. Hudson Henry is right there for the No. 3 spot, but Washington has been that guy more often than not.
Left Tackle
1st team - Luke Jones
2nd team - Andrew Chamblee
3rd team - Devon Manuel
Left tackle was the lone spot on the Razorback offensive line that did not return a start from last season. Jones has filled in nicely as the starter and Pittman and Jefferson have both talked highly of him.
Manuel has missed time in fall camp, giving the big freshman Chamblee reps on the second team. I think Chamblee will keep the second team spot.
Left Guard
1st team- Brady Latham
2nd team - Jalen St. John
3rd team - Patrick Kutas
Latham has the left guard spot locked down after starting 23 games there over the past two season.
St. John is a solid backup and Kutas, a true freshman, has received a lot of praise from Pittman throughout fall camp.
Center
1st team - Ricky Stromberg
2nd team - Josh Street
3rd team - Eli Henderson
Stromberg is going to be one of, if not the best center in the SEC.
Street and Henderson are a pair of freshmen that provide depth.
It's worth noting that Kutas has seen time at center, but did not look super comfortable snapping the ball.
Right Guard
1st team - Beaux Limmer
2nd team - E'Marion Harris
3rd team - Brooks Edmonson
There is a good chance that Limmer is the strongest guy on the Razorback roster.
Harris is a true freshman that can be shuffled around, but he's spent most of his time at right guard in fastball drills. Edmonson is a freshman walk-on and in the same boat as Harris — he can be moved around.
Right Tackle
1st team - Dalton Wagner
2nd team - Ty'Kieast Crawford
3rd team - Cole Carson
If any starter will lose reps to a second team guy, it's Wagner, who did mention that he feels great this fall after dealing with a back injury in the spring.
Crawford was a candidate for the left tackle spot, but Pittman said he'd like to keep Crawford on the right side of the line.
Carson has consistently been the third team right tackle through the fall.
DEFENSE
Defensive Tackle
1st team - Isaiah Nichols, Eric Gregory
2nd team - Terry Hampton, Cam Ball
3rd team - Nico Davillier, Taylor Lewis
If Arkansas runs a four-man front, Nichols and Gregory will be the starting tackles and Hampton is a close third. If it is a three-man front, Gregory will move to end and Nichols will be the lone tackle.
Ball missed some time in camp with an undisclosed injury, but he is back and doing well.
Pittman has talked as highly about Davillier as any other playing this fall camp. Lewis is the other tackle running with the third team.
Defensive End
1st team - Zach Williams, Jashaud Stewart
2nd team - Jordan Domineck, Landon Jackson
3rd team - Eric Thomas Jr., Dorian Gerald
Williams has consistently been a first team defensive end in three- and four-man fronts. Stewart is slowly creeping up as one of the better defensive linemen for the Hogs.
Domineck and Jackson are both guys that transferred in and have the opportunity to make a big impact at some point.
Thomas and Gerald have been on the third team for most of fall camp and they provide a lot of experience for the Razorback d-line.
Linebacker
1st team - Bumper Pool, Drew Sanders
2nd team - Chris Paul Jr., Jackson Woodard
3rd team - Mani Powell, Jordan Crook
Pool and Sanders are locked in as the starters, and they could end up being one of the better linebacker duos in the conferece.
Paul and Woodard are two younger, inexperienced guys that are athletic and talented. One of them will likely step in as the third linebacker that will rotate in heavily for the Hogs. Arkansas ran with three linebackers on the first team defense Friday and Woodard was the third guy.
Powell and Crook are two very talented freshmen that will play at some point this season.
Nickel Back
1st team - Myles Slusher
2nd team - Trent Gordon
3rd team - Jacorrei Turner
When Jalen Catalon went down with an injury last season, Slusher filled in really well for him at safety. He has done very solid at nickel in fall camp.
Gordon transferred in from Penn State prior to last season, but he played very little. He's been serving as the second team nickel for most of camp.
Turner was in a green jersey for the first week of camp, but he has been full-go since then. He hasn't been playing at nickel for a lot of camp, but I think that's the best spot for him. He is also a candidate to see time at safety.
Cornerback
1st team - Hudson Clark, LaDarrius Bishop
2nd team - Malik Chavis, Khari Johnson
3rd team - Dwight McGlothern, Keaun Parker
Corner is probably the hardest position to predict right now. Clark is a clear first teamer, but the second corner is up in the air. Bishop has spent most of the time there and Chavis has spent a good chunk with the first team as well.
Khari Johnson and Keaun Parker have consistently been on the second and third teams, respectively.
The big question is McGlothern, who transferred in from LSU over the offseason. He might be the most talented corner on the roster, but he's been with the third team in fastball drills for the majority of fall camp.
Safety
1st team - Jalen Catalon, Simeon Blair
2nd team - Jayden Johnson, Latavius Brini
3rd team - Zach Zimos, Anthony Brown
Safety is a strong suit for the Arkansas defense. Catalon will be one of the better safeties in the country if he stays healthy.
Blair is now a redshirt senior and he looks very sharp in fall camp.
Johnson and Brini are not very far from being first team guys. Both are very talented and will see plenty of play time this season. Both have also slotted in as a second nickel/third safety with the first team at times.
Zimos and Brown are consistently the third team guys and both are in great shape.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Place Kicker - Cam Little, Jake Bates
Kickoff - Jake Bates, Cam Little
Punter - Reid Bauer, Max Fletcher
Long Snapper - Eli Stein
Kickoff Return - Matt Landers, AJ Green, LaDarrius Bishop, Isaiah Sategna
Punt Return - Bryce Stephens, Isaiah Sategna, Harper Cole, Jadon Haselwood
Kickoff specialist is the big question between Bates and Little, but I would think Bates will take those duties after doing so the past two seasons for Texas State.
Bauer started at punter for the Hogs last season, but Fletcher is a very talented freshman with an incredibly strong leg. Bauer will be the holder on field goals for sure, though.
Eli Stein is a freshman and the only long snapper on scholarship. He should end up being the starter, but the competition there is ongoing.
Kickoff and punt return are yet to be determined. Stephens looks like the leader for punt returner, but kickoff seems wide open. For more on that, click here.
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