Ask head coach Sam Pittman or Arkansas recruiting director Joshua Thompson what the Hogs' priorities are in the 2021 class and they'll probably say every position is a priority–and they are–but graduations after the 2020 season will have some positions more bare than others.

The Razorbacks need to recruit consistently in the top 25 classes year in and year out if they hope to regain a competitive edge in the SEC West. Arkansas accomplished that feat in 2019 but struggled to get close in 2020 with an extremely condensed recruiting period in Pittman's first months in Fayetteville.

Here's a look at four positions where Arkansas needs big recruiting wins in 2021:

Returning Scholarship QBs:

Feleipe Franks (?)
John Stephen Jones
KJ Jefferson
Malik Hornsby

Arkansas may or may not get Feleipe Franks for a sixth year depending on whether he wants to apply for a medical redshirt for his 2019 season at Florida, but if Franks does not return, the Hogs will have just three returning scholarship quarterbacks. Quarterback isn't a top priority just for numbers' sake, most teams take at least one per recruiting class, but with the Hogs' bad luck with quarterbacks the last few seasons, it's critical to get SEC-caliber quarterbacks committed to keep the competition level high.

Returning Scholarship Running Backs:

Trelon Smith
A'Montae Spivey
Dominique Johnson

Arkansas will graduate two running backs after this season, Rakeem Boyd and TJ Hammonds, leaving three (currently) unproven running backs on the roster. Not only will Jimmy Smith need to recruit one stellar 2021 back, he'll probably need to get at least two to keep the numbers at a sustainable level. So far, Arkansas has offered 15 junior running backs but the extended dead period has cost them some valuable visits. I like where the Hogs stand with six running back recruits right now: Javion Hunt, Kenji Christian, Caleb Berry, AJ Green, Cam'Ron Valdez and Logan Diggs. Hunt and Berry have visited so far.

Returning Scholarship Tight Ends

Hudson Henry
Blayne Toll
Collin Sutherland

Arkansas hoped to add a grad transfer in the 2020 class at tight end but the staff was unimpressed with the available options. With just three returning in 2021, two who've yet to show what they've got at this level, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Hogs look to take two scholarship tight ends in the 2021 class, including a grad transfer if the market is better this year. The Razorbacks have 13 scholarship offers out to junior tight ends including in-state target Erin Outley, so their odds are pretty good of landing a couple solid options. Besides Outley, Jon Cooper is also in a nice spot with Missouri TE Ryan Hoerstkamp and Texas TE Ben Postma.

Returning Scholarship Defensive Tackles

Isaiah Nichols
Nicholas Fulwider
Enoch Jackson
Marcus Miller
Taurean Carter
Andy Boykin

Defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc will graduate three key pieces on the defensive line in 2020, Jonathan Marshall, Dorian Gerald and grad transfer Xavier Kelly. The Hogs have bolstered the defensive line with plenty of defensive end prospects in the last two classes but they could really use a couple big-time additions at tackle in 2021. LeBlanc signed some impressive commits at Kentucky, so we know he can get it done. The Hogs have gotten reciprocated interest from Georgia DT Cameron Ball and two JUCO defensive tackle targets but it's been slow so far for LeBlanc.