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Recruiting Roundup: Friday Night Spotlight, trail tidbits, Week 8 schedule

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

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Fayetteville @ Springdale - 7 p.m. CT

The star-studded Fayetteville Bulldogs are poised for a 6A-West Championship run following their 42-34 win over Bentonville last week. Though Arkansas commit Mani Powell will be sidelined with an injury, there should be no shortage of talent with guys like Isaiah Sategna and Kaiden Turner suiting up.

Committed to Oregon and Indiana, respectively, they’ve been integral in bolstering former Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick’s squad into a championship contender. Sategna leads the state in receiving with 971 yards on 47 receptions as well as nine touchdowns through seven games and will have a great chance to bump those numbers up against a 1-6 Springdale group which is allowing more than 36 points per game.

Defensively, Turner should be able to hold down the fort in Powell’s absence with the Springdale offense working with just 15 points per game. Expect this one to be over well before the clock strikes 0:00, and Fayetteville to continue its four-game winning streak.

Commit: Mani Powell, 3* LB (Fayetteville)

The Roundup

Unfortunately, the recruiting trail has slowed nearly as much as the rest of the Razorback football world ahead of an 11 a.m. kickoff in War Memorial Stadium against FCS Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

As many fans are asking about the merits of forfeiting two home games per year, Sam Pittman gave credence to those concerns - specifically in terms of how detrimental it can be to the future of a program.

"I think there's a reason to ask the question,” Pittman said. “We go to Dallas, and even though it was a home game this year, we could give tickets but we couldn't talk to anybody. Same thing when you go to Little Rock, you can't talk to any recruits. Certainly, it's not good for recruiting. Let's say that.”

Of course, playing in Little Rock does potentially put the Razorbacks in front of more eyes that may not otherwise get to see them. The hope is that will pay off in the form of in-state recruits, of which they have nine - but only three are above a 5.6 rating on Rivals.

“If we’re going to over-recruit, it would be our state,” Pittman said. “If you’re going to sit there and go, ‘Well, maybe. I think so,’ but we know more about him, his heart, this, that and the other, we’re going to offer the guy in the state of Arkansas.

“I think any time you have 8-10 guys in your state that you want on the football team, I think that sure helps you tremendously with the whole recruiting process.”

Pittman intends on bringing that in-state talent into the program and said that the staff has been making rounds across different areas for the past month or so. While he personally won’t be out on the trail this weekend, four of his assistants will be dispersed locally to take in some of that talent.

As far as local talent goes, one name to keep an eye on is Arkansas baseball commit Martavius Thomas.

Thomas has been lighting it up this season at quarterback to the tune of 2,247 yards on 67.3% completion and a 25-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio, while also adding in nearly 500 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Even more impressive is that 510 yards and seven of those touchdowns came last Friday…in the first half.

Hutch was able to get ahold of the junior OF/SS prospect, and Thomas said he’d be open to playing both sports at the next level. Now as far as feasibility goes there, who knows? But what we do know is that Thomas will be in town for Arkansas’ next (true) home game on Nov. 6 when they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

As well as Thomas, I was able to catch up with a pair of Arkansas targets for 2023 - defensive back Naeten Mitchell and quarterback Vic Sutton. Mitchell and Sutton were both in town this weekend for Arkansas’ matchup with Auburn and gave updates on their recruitment and where the Hogs stack up.

Capping of a relatively uneventful week, we have rumblings of the staff attempting to circle back and flip a certain 2022 prospect with ties to the state.

Calling the Hogs

2022

Hartland (Mich.) @ Belleville (Mich.) - 6 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
-- Hartland - Nathan Dibert, 3* K (‘22) - LSU commit

Cedar Grove (Ga.) @ Westminster (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
-- Westminster - Holden States, 4* TE (‘22) - Notre Dame commit

Duncanville (Texas) @ Cedar Hill (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

Carlisle @ Clarendon - 7 p.m. CT

Commits: Quincey McAdoo, 4* WR & Dax Courtney, 3* TE (Clarendon)

Bauxite @ Joe T. Robinson - 7 p.m. CT

Commit: E’Marion Harris, 4* WR (Robinson)

-- Robinson - Daryl Searcy Jr., RB (‘22) - holds offers from Arkansas State, Memphis, North Texas, visited Fayetteville in February 2020

Maumelle @ White Hall - 7 p.m. CT

Commits: Andrew Chamblee 3* OT & Nico Davillier 4* DE (Maumelle)

T.L. Hanna (S.C.) @ Byrnes (S.C.) - 6:30 p.m. CT

Commit: Eli Henderson, 3* OL (Byrnes)

Covington (Tenn.) vs. Haywood (Tenn.) - 7 p.m. CT

Commit: Jaylen Lewis, 3* S (Haywood)

-- Haywood - Camron Douglas, 3* DT (‘22) - holds offers from Akron, Illinois, Memphis, Vanderbilt

Northside (Ga.) @ Lee County (Ga.) - 6:30 p.m. CT

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
-- Northside - Micah Thurman, 3* OLB (‘22) - holds offer from Kansas State

Memphis Central (Tenn.) @ Christian Brothers (Tenn.) - 7 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

Russellville @ 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

Hardin County (Tenn.) vs. Milan (Tenn.) - 6 p.m. CT

Commit: Anthony Brown, 3* DB (Milan)

-- Hardin County - Kaydin Pope, WR (‘22) - holds offer from Arkansas, as well as 14 other offers including Auburn, Memphis, Mississippi State and Tennessee

Greenland @ Cedarville - 7 p.m. CT

Commit: JJ Hollingsworth, 3* DE (Greenland)

Elkins @ Shiloh Christian - 7 p.m. CT

Commit: Kaden Henley, 3* ATH (Shiloh Christian)

2023

Ashdown @ Arkadelphia - 7 p.m. CT

Commit: Shamar Easter, 4* TE (Ashdown)

Bentonville @ Rogers - 7 p.m. CT

Commit: Joey Su'a, 4* OL (Bentonville)

-- Bentonville - Charles Nimrod, 3* WR ('22) - Tennessee commit

Spring Hill (Kan.) @ 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

Other Names to Watch

2023

Hutchinson (Kan.) @ Maize (Kan.) - 7 p.m. CT

-- Maize - Avery Johnson, 4* QB (‘23) - holds 16 P5 offers, including Arkansas, Auburn, Iowa State, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Tennessee

Liberty Christian (Texas) @ Nolan Catholic (Texas) - 7 p.m. CT

-- 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
-- Liberty Christian - Christian Driver, 4* ATH (‘23) - Penn State commit

Shoemaker (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

Mountain View (Ga.) @ Collins Hill (Ga.) - 6:30 p.m. CT (Thurs. 10/14)

-- 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

Desoto (Texas) @ Midway (Texas) - 7 p.m. CT

-- DeSoto - Johntay Cook II, 4* WR (‘23) - Arkansas offer, No. 66 in Rivals100 for 2023
-- DeSoto - Dahlyn Jones, WR (‘23) - Arkansas offer, also holds an offer from Kansas, visited Fayetteville in late July

Mansfield (Texas) @ Waxahachie (Texas) - 7 p.m. CT

-- Mansfield - Brenden Jordan, 4* S (‘23) - holds offers from Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi State and USC in addition to Arkansas

2024

Malvern @ Fountain Lake - 7 p.m. CT

-- Malvern - Vinny Winters, OL ('24) - offers from Arkansas, Memphis; visited Fayetteville this summer and for the Texas game

Hot Springs Lakeside @ De Queen - 7 p.m. CT

-- HS Lakeside - Braylen Russell, RB (‘24) - sole offer from Arkansas; visited Fayetteville this summer

Colquitt County (Ga.) @ Lowndes (Ga.) - 7 p.m. CT

-- Colquitt County - Landen Thomas, TE (‘24) - Florida State commit, picked up an offer from Arkansas on 9/27/21
-- Lowndes - Jaccuri Brown, 3* QB (‘22) - Miami (FL) commit
-- Lowndes - Deaunte Hunter, 3* OLB (‘22) - holds offers from Cincinnati, Kansas, Ole Miss, Syracuse, West Virginia

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