Each Friday, HawgBeat's Alex Trader will write a recruiting notebook filled with tidbits on Arkansas commits and top targets, including the best games, performances and where each are playing that particular week.
HawgBeat's Friday Night Spotlight
Independence (La.) @ Many (La.) - 7 p.m. CT
A couple of weeks ago, Arkansas linebackers coach Michael Scherer made his way to Many (La.) to check out a pair of 4-star prospects, and this week it only makes sense that Andrew Hutchinson follows in those footsteps.
Tackett Curtis (‘23) and Tylen Singleton (‘24) have had themselves quite the year, leading the Tigers to a 9-1 regular-season record and the No. 1 overall seed. Curtis holds 40 offers, including just about everyone you could imagine.
Singleton, whose sheet is a little bit more limited, does already have three SEC West programs in the mix (Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State). Their opponent for this opening round matchup will be 2-5 Independence, in what will likely be a great showcase for the two Many prospects.
Spotlights: Tackett Curtis, 4* OLB (‘23), Tylen Singleton, 4* ATH (‘24) (Many)
The Roundup
In their first true home game since Oct. 16, the Razorbacks made sure to capitalize on a big-time win over No. 17 Mississippi State. Of those visitors, Hutch and I were able to catch up with a pair of 2023 prospects while national writers Sam Spiegelman and Ryan Wright were able to snag interviews with two four-stars.
A name you may be familiar with at this point is Martavius Thomas. Thomas is an Arkansas baseball in-state commit out of Camden Fairview who has had himself a truly remarkable junior year at quarterback for his Cardinals.
While Thomas’ recruitment has run its course, 6-foot-7, 345-pound Texas offensive tackle Connor Stroh is just getting underway in the process. Interest in Stroh has been peaking of late, and it’s clear to see why. With legit SEC size, I don’t expect the Longhorns’ offer to be the only one for too much longer.
On the national front, four-stars KingJoseph Edwards and Tackett Curtis were both in town, and both left with some positive thoughts about the Razorbacks. Curtis, who is a major player in our spotlight game of the week, was a repeat visitor and gave Spiegelman some insight into where the Hogs stand in his recruitment.
As far as Edwards goes, I’ll have a story up on the site later this afternoon going in-depth to what he thought of Fayetteville’s gameday offerings, but in the meantime, Ryan Wright was able to get a better understanding of what the communication with the Razorback coaches has been like to this point.
New Offers
Preferred walk-on
#Committed
This Arkansas program can’t stop, and absolutely won’t stop their run of recruiting dominance. This most recent addition is 2024 Hot Springs Lakeside running back Braylen Russell.
Russell is the first commitment in the 2024 class, and judging by my breakdown of his film, he could be an important anchor for what looks to be a promising 2024 cycle.
Calling the Hogs
2022
Playoffs: Fordson (Mich.) vs. Belleville (Mich.) - 5 p.m. CT
Commit: Myles Rowser, 4* S (Belleville)
-- Belleville - Christian Rapley, 3* ATH (‘22) - holds offers from Kentucky, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, others
-- Belleville - Jeremiah Caldwell, 4* ATH (‘22) - previously committed to Kentucky, holds offers from Arkansas State, Iowa State, Michigan, Tennessee
-- Belleville - Deshaun Lee, 3* CB (‘22) - holds offers from Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
-- Belleville - Aaron Alexander, 2* ILB (‘22) - Michigan commit
-- Fordson - Antonio Gates Jr., 3* ATH (‘22) - Michigan State commit
-- Fordson - Ka’Marii Landers, 3* OG (‘22) - holds offers from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, West Virginia
Playoffs: White County (Ga.) @ Cedar Grove (Ga.) - 6:30 p.m. CT
Commit: Rashod Dubinion, 4* RB (Cedar Grove)
-- Cedar Grove - Christen Miller, 4* DT (‘22) - No. 9 DT in 2022, FutureCast to USC
-- Cedar Grove - Joshua White, 4* DE (‘22) - Memphis commit
-- Cedar Grove - Janiran Bonner, 4* WR (‘22) - Georgia Tech commit
-- Cedar Grove - Kayin Lee, 4* CB (‘23) - Georgia commit
-- Cedar Grove - Everett Roussaw, 3* ILB (‘23) - holds offer from Arkansas. Also holds offers from Mississippi State, Missouri, UCF and Virginia Tech
Playoffs: Belton (Texas) @ Duncanville (Texas) - 7:30 p.m. CT
Commit: Jordan Crook, 3* LB (Duncanville)
-- Duncanville - Ka’Davion Dotson, (‘24) - Arkansas offer, also holds offers from Kansas State, Oklahoma State, SMU and USC
Playoffs: Bearden @ Clarendon - 7 p.m. CT
Commits: Quincey McAdoo, 4* WR & Dax Courtney, 3* TE (Clarendon)
Playoffs: Mills University Studies @ Joe T. Robinson - 7 p.m. CT
Commits: E’Marion Harris, 4* WR (Robinson) - (‘23) Shamar Easter, 4* TE (Ashdown)
-- Robinson - Daryl Searcy Jr., RB (‘22) - holds offers from Arkansas State, Memphis, North Texas, visited Fayetteville in February 2020
Playoffs: Maumelle @ Greenbrier - 7 p.m. CT
Commits: Andrew Chamblee 3* OT & Nico Davillier 4* DE (Maumelle)
Playoffs: Byrnes (S.C.) @ Northwestern (S.C.) - 6:30 p.m. CT
Commit: Eli Henderson, 3* OL (Byrnes)
Playoffs: Melrose (Tenn.) @ Haywood (Tenn.) - 6 p.m. CT
Commit: Jaylen Lewis, 3* S (Haywood)
-- Haywood - Camron Douglas, 3* DT (‘22) - holds offers from Akron, Illinois, Memphis, Vanderbilt
Playoffs: Grovetown (Ga.) @ Lee County (Ga.) - 3 p.m. CT (Sat. 11/13)
Commit: Tyrus Washington, 3* TE (Lee County)
-- Lee County - Jaron Willis, 4* OLB (‘22) - Georgia Tech commit
-- Lee County - Qaeshon Sapp, 4* OG (‘22) - Florida State commit
-- Lee County - Quavian Carter, 3* S (‘22) - Michigan State commit
-- Grovetown - Marcus Washington, 4* CB (‘23) - Georgia commit
Playoffs: Christian Brothers (Tenn.) @ Briarcrest Christian (Tenn.) - 6 p.m. CT
Commit: Patrick Kutas, 3* OL (Christian Brothers)
-- Christian Brothers - Dallan Hayden, 4* RB (‘22) - Ohio State commit, his older brother, Chase, played in 23 games for Arkansas from 2017-19
Playoffs: Searcy @ Parkview - 7 p.m. CT
Commit: James Jointer Jr., 3* RB (Parkview)
-- Parkview - Jaylon White, S (‘22) - Ole Miss commit
-- Parkview - Darien Bennett, RB (‘23) - holds offer from Arkansas, committing January 26, 2022
Playoffs: Cave City @ Shiloh Christian - 7 p.m. CT
Commit: Kaden Henley, 3* ATH (Shiloh Christian)
2023
Playoffs: Ashdown @ Lonoke - 7 p.m. CT
Commit: Shamar Easter, 4* TE (Ashdown)
Playoffs: Bishop Meige (Kan.) vs. Eudora (Kan.) - TBD
Commit: Jaden Hamm, 3* TE (Eudora)
-- Eudora - Jaiden Bender, 3* WR (‘23) - holds offers from Kansas, Kansas State
-- Eudora - Silas Etter, 3* ATH (‘22) - Kansas State commit
2024
Playoffs: Hot Springs Lakeside @ Wynne - 7 p.m. CT
Commit: Braylen Russell, RB (Lakeside)
Other Names to Watch
2022
Playoffs: Camden County (Ga.) vs. North Cobb (Ga.) - 6:30 p.m. CT
-- North Cobb - Sam M’Bake, 3* WR (‘22) - has been FutureCast to Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss and Arkansas, will visit Fayetteville for a second time in December
-- Camden County - Jadin Jones, 3* OLB (‘22) - holds offers from Akron, Buffalo, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State
2023
Playoffs: Hays (Kan.) vs. Maize (Kan.) - TBD
-- Maize - Avery Johnson, 4* QB (‘23) - holds 16 P5 offers, including Arkansas, Auburn, Iowa State, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Tennessee
-- Hays - Jaren Kanak, 4* ATH (‘22) - Clemson commit
-- Hays - Gavin Meyers, 3* ILB (‘22) - holds offers from Colorado, Kansas State, Louisville, Nebraska and Washington State
Playoffs: St. John XXIII (Texas) @ Nolan Catholic (Texas) - TBD (Sat. 11/13)
-- Nolan Catholic - Kaleb James, 3* DE (‘23) - Arkansas offer, also holds offers from Baylor, Cincinnati, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State
-- Nolan Catholic - Curlee Thomas IV, 3* DE (‘22) - Cal commit
Playoffs: Waxahachie (Texas) @ Temple (Texas) - 7:30 p.m. CT
-- Temple - Mikal Harrison-Pilot, 4* WR/S (‘23) - Arkansas offer, Rivals250 player in the class of 2023, visited Fayetteville in early June
-- Temple - Naeten Jeremy-Mitchell, S (‘23) - Arkansas offer, a frequent visitor to Arkansas’ campus this summer
Playoffs: Lambert (Ga.) @ Collins Hill (Ga.) - 7 p.m. CT
-- Collins Hill - Jayden Davis, 3* S (‘23) - Arkansas offer, also holds offers from Kentucky, Ole Miss and Missouri, as well as seven other non-SEC teams
-- Collins Hill - Travis Hunter, 5* ATH (‘22) - No. 1 player in the 2022 class, Florida State commit
-- Collins Hill - Sam Horn, 4* QB (‘22) - Missouri commit
-- Collins Hill - Ethan Davis, 4* WR (‘23) - holds 15 P5 offers, including Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas and Texas A&M
-- Lambert - Kojo Antwi, 4* WR (‘22) - Ohio State commit
-- Lambert - Grayson Mains, 3* OT (‘22) - South Carolina commit
2024
Playoffs: Malvern @ DeWitt - 7 p.m. CT
-- Malvern - Vinny Winters, OL ('24) - offers from Arkansas, Memphis; visited Fayetteville this summer and for the Texas game
