Who Arkansas lost to the post-spring portal
Head coach Sam Pittman and the Arkansas football team lost seven scholarship players to the transfer portal after spring practice. The spring portal window closed Tuesday.
While anything is possible, only two of the seven — punter Max Fletcher and defensive back Lorando Johnson — were really battling for a starting spot in the spring. The other five included a trio of second-year players, a veteran running back and a backup quarterback.
Arkansas currently sits at 79 scholarship players with six open spots, according to HawgBeat's count. The Hogs most-recently added Coastal Carolina transfer quarterback Blake Boda and Marshall transfer linebacker Stephen Dix Jr. on Tuesday.
Here's a look at all seven players who hit the portal post-spring, plus a full look at all players who have transferred from Arkansas since the end of the 2023 season, including destinations for all who have already landed elsewhere.
RB Dominique Johnson
After spending four full seasons and this spring with the Razorbacks, Johnson officially hit the portal Monday. The Crowley, Texas, native suffered back-to-back ACL tears in the 2021 and 2022 seasons and just could never bounce back with the Razorbacks.
Johnson's best season as a Hog came in his sophomore season in 2021, when he rushed for 575 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 251-pounder received just 39 carries for 210 rushing yards and one touchdown over the past two seasons, although he did miss most of the 2022 season due to the ACL tears.
DB Lorando "Snaxx" Johnson
Nicknamed "Snaxx," Johnson transferred to Arkansas from Baylor, where he spent his first three seasons of college football. The Lancaster, Texas, native started all 12 games for the Hogs last fall and served as a corner and nickelback.
An outspoken player on the field, Johnson tallied 29 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, one sack and one interception with the Razorbacks. Johnson announced Sunday that he will return to Baylor for his final season of eligibility.
QB Jacolby Criswell
A native of Morrilton, Criswell transferred back to the home-state Hogs after three season with North Carolina, which is the school he's transferring back to.
Criswell was a backup to NFL quarterbacks Sam Howell and Drake Maye, who Criswell battled for the starting job with in 2022, while with the Tar Heels. After backing up KJ Jefferson with Arkansas last year and not being able to beat out Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green this spring, Criswell is going back to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with two years of eligibility left and just 58 career pass attempts.
P Max Fletcher
The starting punter for Arkansas for his entire sophomore season in 2023, Fletcher's entrance to the portal was a bit of a surprise. Walk-on Devin Bale proved to be tough competition for Fletcher this spring, and Fletcher ended up transferring to Cincinnati, where his brother, Mason, is also a punter.
A 6-foot-5, 174-pound sophomore from Melbourne, Australia, Fletcher had a breakout season in the SEC last year after he punted 59 times for an SEC-leading 2,770 yards (46.9 average). He was named All-SEC Second Team after pinning a fourth-best 19 punts inside the 20-yard line and was the first Arkansas punter to receive All-SEC recognition since Dylan Breeding in 2012.
RB Isaiah Augustave
Augustave announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on the same day as the Red-White Spring Game — April 13. A former three-star prospect out of Naples, Florida, Augustave rushed 35 times for 202 yards and one score as a true freshman in 2023 for the Hogs.
He did endure a lot of change — two offensive coordinators, two positions coaches, two of the top backs from last year transferring out and more. With the addition of Utah transfer Ja'Quinden Jackson and freshman Braylen Russell — a pair of spring standouts — along with the retention of Rashod Dubinion (and at the time Dominique Johnson), Augustave elected to go elsewhere.
OL Paris Patterson
A former four-star prospect out of East St. Louis, Illinois, Patterson redshirted as a freshman in 2023 for the Razorbacks. Patterson (6-foot-6, 350 pounds) ran generally as a third team guard during spring practices.
DB RJ Johnson
A former three-star prospect out of Locust Grove, Georgia, Johnson hit the portal on Tuesday, as first reported by HawgBeat. Johnson announced his commitment to Colorado a little over 24 hours later.
The 6-foot-2, 181-pound safety appeared in just one game on special teams in 2023 — the season opener against Western Carolina. Johnson primarily ran as a safety with the third team defense during spring practices, which wrapped up with the Red-White Spring Game on April 13.
Full list of Razorbacks to transfer since end of 2023 season
RB Dominique Johnson
OL Paris Patterson
RB Isaiah Augustave
OL Andrew Chamblee (left prior to spring)
DE Jashaud Stewart (dismissed from team)
TE Francis Sherman - Cincinnati (left prior to spring)
DB RJ Johnson - Colorado
DB Lorando Johnson - Baylor
P Max Fletcher - Cincinnati
QB Jacolby Criswell - North Carolina
LB Jaheim Thomas - Wisconsin
OL Joey Su'a - Arizona State
QB KJ Jefferson - UCF
RB Rocket Sanders - South Carolina
DB Malik Chavis - UNLV
DT Anthony Booker Jr. - SMU
RB AJ Green - Oklahoma State
OL Devon Manuel - Florida
DT Taurean Carter - Colorado
LB Mani Powell - UNLV
LB Jordan Crook - Arizona State
LB Chris Paul Jr. - Ole Miss
DB Jaylen Lewis - Temple
WR Sam Mbake - Kilgore College (dismissed from team)