The Arkansas Razorbacks made a splash on the recruiting trail Wednesday, as they gained the commitment of four-star 2025 Marion lineman Carius Curne, who chose the Hogs over offers from Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State and others.
It was a big win for Arkansas, as it caused the Razorbacks to make a jump into the top-25 nationally at No. 23 overall. That ranks just behind Michigan at No. 22 and ahead of UNLV at No. 24.
As it stands right now, the Razorbacks have five total commitments in the class. Joining Curne in the fold is three-star quarterback Grayson Wilson, four-star running back Jamarion Parker, three-star athlete Markeylin Batton and kicker Evan Noel.
Looking at the recruiting rankings this early can be deceiving, though. Arkansas will likely try to bring in another 15 to 20 recruits into the class, and where those recruits are ranked will cause the Hogs to fluctuate in the rankings.
Of the teams ahead of Arkansas, only six have fewer commits in their respective classes, while another six tie the Hogs with five. Four of the top six teams in the nation all have double-digit recruits, with Notre Dame — currently ranked No. 1 in the country — having 14.
Given those numbers and how Rivals ranks its recruiting classes, the rankings are all but guaranteed to change between now and when the pen hits paper in December.
Last year, Arkansas suffered a heavy amount of attrition toward the close of the signing periods, both in Dec. 2023 and Feb. 2024. Four-star wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield and four-star offensive lineman Kai Greer both ended up elsewhere, as did four-star wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman, who signed on Dec. 21 before being released from his letter of intent days before National Signing Day.
The 2024 class finished No. 39, the worst ranking since 2020 — Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman’s first year at the helm — when the Hogs finished No. 41.
There’s plenty of work to be done to make sure that doesn’t happen again. The NCAA recruiting calendar is currently in a dead period, but that lifts on March 4 and the Hogs will get back to hosting more recruits on campus.
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