FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Hogs brought in a trio of freshman receivers this year that features two four-stars and one three-star, all of which have the ability to make an impact this season.
The big name is Fayetteville product, four-star Isaiah Sategna, who competed in track & field in high school and was rated as the No. 4 prospect in the nation for the 2022 class by MileSplit. His blazing speed landed him on sophomore wideout Ketron Jackson Jr.'s top-three fastest receivers on the team so far.
Though he has world-class speed, Sategna has been praised for his wits as much as anything.
"Very, very smart kid that's picking up on things, learning very fast," Arkansas wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton said Wednesday. "Definitely a guy that we're looking at to keep pushing, keep competing his butt off."
During his senior year at Fayetteville, Sategna hauled in 100 catches for a nation-leading 1,908 yards and 17 touchdowns.
"Having a really, really good run game when you stick that ball in the gut of the running back, you get one-on-ones on that perimeter, you need guys that can go stretch the field, and he does that," Guiton said.
Joining Sategna as a four-star is Quincey McAdoo from Clarendon, who enrolled in the spring. As a senior at Clarendon he played everywhere on the field from quarterback to defense, where he recorded 58 tackles an interception and an 88-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
McAdoo rushed 82 times for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns while bringing in 34 catches for 617 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior campaign.
His versatility in high school mirrors former Hog and first round draft pick Treylon Burks, who was a two-way player in high school. Burks saw action at quarterback, running back, receiver and linebacker during his time as a Warren Lumberjack.
The third freshman wideout is three-star Sam Mbake from Kennesaw, Georgia, and he might be the most impressive of the three through fall camp.
Mbake was seen making an impressive play on a 50/50 ball in Tuesday's practice, and Guiton said Mbake is putting himself in a good position to suit up on Saturday's
"Right now, he's putting himself in a good position to do that," Guiton said. "He needs to keep coming along, keep learning. As he learns that playbook even more and more and more and the defenses more, he's going to put himself in a really, really good position. He's just got to keep going."
Realistically, the Hogs have a strong group of veteran receivers that will take up most of the targets, but the opportunity is there for the taking for anyone. The freshmen might not play a lot this season, but that will be determined by them and how they perform.
"It's kind of like that freshman class as a whole, all three of them with McAdoo and Sam Mbake, they all just compete their butts off," Guiton said. "They're ready to learn, they're 'yes sir, no sir' guys that step on the field and try to do exactly what you say. Everything you teach them, I wouldn't say it's new to them, but it's something that they're trying to get down."
As for now, Jackson said he told them to not overthink. He said he's seen that they are being consistent and learning from the veterans.
"I just told them come in with a mindset of, like, don't overthink," Jackson said. "Everyone out there, they make plays. They don't know the play, they're still learning, but they're making plays, and they're being consistent with it. Even Isaiah Sategna. I told him to use his speed. 'Don't be hesitant to use your speed. That's your biggest threat.' So he's been doing good."
