Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has a new-look tight end room to work with this season, and it features a transfer from a school in his home state of Montana.
The Razorbacks lost two scholarship tight ends to the transfer portal after last year and they had two more kicked off the team during the season. One of the new replacements is Montana State transfer Rohan Jones, who has turned heads with elevated play in recent spring practices.
“He’s got great speed,” said Petrino, a native of Lewiston, Montana. “I think if we lined up and raced the receivers, he might end up three or four in the race, so he’s very very explosive. He had a good start, really good start. Doing a good job.
“And then the first time where he’s out there by himself and the coaches are over here, we came a little bit big and fast to him and he didn’t play as well as we like him to. But he came back from it very very strong, and that’s a key to his pride. I think he’s very prideful and a great competitor. I think he’ll be really good for us.”
Jones is originally from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The 6-foot-3, 236-pounder was a First-Team FCS Football Central All-American as a true junior last year after he played in 14 games and logged 30 receptions for 470 yards and nine touchdowns. Jones had at least one reception in 13 of his 14 games played for Montana State last season and he totaled 10 multi-catch performances during the season. He began his college football career at Maine, where he saw action in all 11 games and recorded 22 receptions for 240 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023.
“When you watch Rohan, obviously he played at Montana State and did a great job playing there, and then go back and see where he was before he even went there, he improved tremendously,” Petrino said Tuesday. “And then we really liked his personality and his attitude and his toughness. We’ve coached a number of kids from Canada before, and he had more understanding of football than some of the other ones that I’ve coached. He really knew the game. And was fun talking to him and him being able to picture what you’re saying and him know it. So I think you’re going to see him excel and do really well for us.”
The Razorbacks also added other newcomers at tight end, such as Texas A&M transfer Jaden Platt, JUCO transfer Jeremiah Beck and freshman Gavin Garretson.
It has been Jones who’s seen the majority of the reps with the first team offense, though. He didn’t catch a lot of passes early in the spring, but quarterbacks continue to target his No. 88 jersey at a higher pace.
“A guy who's not catching a lot of balls bit is doing a lot of good things, is Rohan Jones,” head coach Sam Pittman said April 3. “You know, he caught one the other day in our kill the clock two minute drill. But I anticipate him catching a lot of balls. He's very, very talented.”
Former Hog Luke Hasz, who transferred to SEC rival Ole Miss, led Arkansas tight ends with 26 catches for 324 yards and four touchdowns last year during Petrino’s first season as play caller. If a guy like Jones can stay healthier than Hasz did, he could potentially surpass those totals and be a solid option for veteran starting quarterback Taylen Green.
“When it comes to his route running, man, you can tell he's really good at what he does,” linebacker Stephen Dix Jr. said March 13 of Jones. “I can't wait to see what he does in pads today, man. I love having that competition when you see a guy that's like, okay, like I got to kind of scheme up against him a little bit because he has some moves or whatever. I think he's a great get for us. I'm really glad we got him, man. He meshes well with the team, like as a person, a player, everything. He's what we look for when we want to bring guys in out the portal. I think he has that mentality, like he has something to prove.”
The Razorbacks are in the midst of spring practices leading up to the April 19 Red-White spring game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. Visit The Trough premium message board for the latest intel from the practice fields.
