We’re inside of 24 hours until ink hits paper in college football, the most important day of the offseason in the SEC as touted prep seniors sign binding letters of intent. National Signing Day has become a February spectacle we’re all interested in as football fiends, one that breeds anticipation at every major program in the country.
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Entering its 3rd signing day under head coach Bret Bielema, Arkansas fans look at this class as yet another building block in Bielema’s plan to create a championship contender in Fayetteville.
The type of team Bielema is building is quite clear, and it definitely resembles his Rose Bowl teams that Bielema led at Wisconsin during his Big Ten days. These teams combine an elite running attack, a huge offensive line and an aggressive, physical front on defense.
Arkansas currently has a very respectable 21st ranked class in the nation, but they’re at the bottom in the SEC West which serves as yet another reminder of how brutal the SEC West is.
Returning eight starters on offense, Bielema will need to fill holes on defense as the Hogs must replace LB Martrell Spaight, DE Trey Flowers and DT Darius Philon. As such, several of the Hogs’ top commitments are defensive linemen including Hjalte Froholdt, the nation’s 15th-best DT.
While Bielema is stock piling tight ends, offensive linemen and defensive tackles, all eyes are on four-star WR K.J. Hill from North Little Rock. Hill was committed to Arkansas, but de-committed recently. He’s a hot target for both Alabama and Ohio State. In other words, Arkansas has some stiff competition for locking up this highly coveted in-state prospect.
In addition to Hill, the top priorities for Arkansas this week are 3-star WR Dominique Reed, 3-star LB Kendrick Jackson and 4-star OT Toby Weathersby. Weathersby would be a great get for Bielema and fit his program nicely, but if the Hogs miss on Hill, adding WR Dominque Reed becomes more important.
Arkansas 2015 recruiting class
- National Rank: 21
- SEC Rank: 10
- No. of Commitments: 20
- No. of Commitments by Rating: 7 four-stars, 13 three-stars.
Top incoming offensive players: Four-star TE CJ O’Grady; Four-star TE Will Gragg
Top incoming defensive players: Four-star DT Hjalte Froholdt; Four-star DE Jamario Bell
Primary remaining target: Four-star WR K.J. Hill
Best-case scenario: Bielema bests Urban Meyer and Nick Saban for the services of in-state WR K.J. Hill giving the Hogs a much needed playmaker and a solid top 20 class overall. Throw in another four-star OT in Toby Weathersby and you’d have a signing day home run for Bielema and Co.
Verbal commits
- C.J. O’Grady, TE, Four-star
- Jamario Bell, SDE, Four-star
- Rawleigh Williams III, RB, Three-star
- Austin Cantrell, TE,Three-star
- Colton Jackson, OT,Three-star
- LaMichael Pettway, ATH, Three-star
- Deon Stewart, WR, Three-star
- Dre Greenlaw, S, Three-star
- Nate Dalton, CB, Three-star
- Derrick Graham, OLB, Three-star
- Ryan Pulley, CB, Three-star
- T.J. Smith, SDE, Three-star
- Blake Johnson, P, Three-star
Current Class
- Hjalte Froholdt, DT, Four-star (early enrollee)
- Will Gragg, TE, Four-star (early enrollee)
- Ty Storey, QB, Four-star (early enrollee)
- Jalen Merrick, OG, Four-star (early enrollee)
- Jeremiah Ledbetter, DT, Four-star (early enrollee)
- Zach Rogers, OG, Three-star (early enrollee)
- Daytrieon Dean, DT, Three-star (early enrollee)
Editor’s note: Saturday Down South’s references to recruiting rankings are to 247Sports.com industry composite ranking.
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
