FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Arkansas has always had a way with walk-ons. Whether it's Brandon Burlsworth on the offensive line, or Grant Morgan in the linebacker room, the Hogs have always been able to find a diamond in the rough.
One of those diamonds is Simeon Blair, and he is poised to be a leader in the secondary in 2022.
A two-way player out of Pine Bluff, Blair had no FBS scholarship offers out of high school, according to his Rivals profile. That didn't stop him from heading to Fayetteville and putting the work in.
"It’s always tough walking on," Blair said. "It’s real tough. But it instills in you to be a hard worker, which I learned from my mom and my dad when I was younger. I felt like I could come up here and earn a scholarship, which I did."
Heading into 2022, Blair hopes to make an even bigger impact as a redshirt senior, and that means making the guys around him better.
"Sim helped a lot when I first got here," Arkansas defensive back Jayden Johnson said. "Coach told me if I wanted to play, (that I need to) hang around Sim. So, I just built a relationship, if I have any questions then I know I can go ask him and he's gonna tell me. Then, we're on the field and he'll see a formation and he's calling out routes. 'Jay you've got this, you've got that,' so I just go with it and he'll be right.
After not appearing in any games in 2018, and only playing on special teams in 2019, an injury to Joe Foucha thrusted Blair into the starter role for the team's first game against Georgia to kick off the 2020 season, and he performed well, posting three tackles and a pass breakup.
He then started the following week against Mississippi State and played in seven more games. He finished with 23 total tackles and two pass breakups.
Last season, Blair played in every game and started seven games. He finished with 38 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and four pass breakups.
When his playing days are done, defensive coordinator Barry Odom said he wants to get Blair into the coaching world because of his eye for the game.
"He plays with a chip on his shoulder," Odom said. "He is going to be, if I can talk him into it, he is going to be an unbelievable coach when football is over for him. He’s got a great understanding of the game. He’s a terrific leader. He’s got the passion and the competitive spirit of the way you’re supposed to play the game. I trust him."
Even though the road has not always been easy, Blair said it has been worth it.
"The journey’s really been great," Blair said. "I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever met up here through this journey. So I feel like it’s been a real good journey."
Blair and the Hogs will hit the practice field Friday in preparation for Saturday's second and final scrimmage of fall camp. The scrimmage will be closed, but HawgBeat will have you covered with everything that happened afterwards.
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