We’ve officially entered into the “Dead Period,” in which face-to-face contact between coach and recruit is disciplined by use of capital punishment. OK, it’s not that drastic, although losing out on a recruit often feels like the end of the world for some coaches.

With the Dec. 14 deadline, teams such as the Arkansas Razorbacks have a better understanding where their 2016 recruiting class stands and what remains to be added.

Bret Bielema and the Razorbacks have had some success in recent years on the recruiting trail and currently own the No. 28-ranked class in the nation, with five four-star recruits, according to 247sports. As of the “dead” period, Bielema has gained 16 hard commitments, including an even eight players on offense and defense.

Here’s a look at some earlier recruiting grades for Bret Bielema and the Arkansas Razorbacks.

OFFENSE – A (8 TOTAL COMMITS)

Arkansas appears to be in the process of reloading on offense, but some turmoil abounds with the defection of offensive line coach Sam Pittman to Georgia. New Bulldog coach Kirby Smart failed to lure Razorback offensive coordinator Dan Enos to Athens, but instead poached Pittman, who built the biggest O-line in all of football, NFL included.

Arkansas in turn, is now in the running, if not the lead, to nab Devwah Whaley. The Beaumont (Texas) Central prospect, considered a top-5 running back in the 2016 class, decommitted from Georgia on Dec. 7. Whaley would join a Hog recruiting class featuring four-star running back T.J. Hammonds, who could also see some time at wide receiver. The Razorbacks are stacked at wide receiver, with just about the entire corps returning to Fayetteville next fall. Still, the rich get richer, as Bielema currently has four wideouts among his incoming freshmen.

With the graduation of current Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen, Bielema is set to add two quarterbacks in this class. Joining three-star pro-style quarterback Cole Kelley from Teurlings (La.) Catholic in 2016 is Southern California-transfer Ricky Town, a highly-touted four-star prospect. Arkansas also is adding TE Grayson Gunter to the mix, which could be a boon for the three-star recruit as tight ends receive a lot of action in Bielema’s offense.

DEFENSE – B (8 TOTAL COMMITS)

No one allowed more passing yards in the SEC this season than Arkansas, which ranked No. 120 in the country (out of 128 teams) in that category. Yet the focus on recruiting for Bielema and defensive coordinator Robb Smith appears to be on the front seven, who comprise seven of the eight hard commitments from defensive recruits.

The unit is fairly impressive, however, featuring three four-star recruits, led by McTelvin Agim. The Hope, Ark., native is Gatorade’s Arkansas Prep Player of the Year and is considered a top-10 recruit nationally. Defensive tackles Austin Capps and Briston Guidry – all great names, by the way – have size and are considered among the top-50 at their position in the nation, according to 247sports. Arkansas finished third-to-last in the SEC this year in sacks and can benefit from some added depth and perhaps some competition. The class also has three linebackers, all of which are considered three-star talents.

RECRUITING NEEDS

Let’s touch more on the departure of Sam Pittman. Arkansas has built its recent success on the backs of its offensive line. Pittman’s exit doesn’t appear to have an immediate impact yet on recruiting, as the Razorbacks this week inked Terrance Malone, a three-star offensive guard from Northwest Mississippi Community College. Still, Bielema’s 2016 class currently has only one other offensive lineman on it, four-star guard Jake Heinrich of Urbandale, Iowa. The Hogs need to replace center Mitch Smothers and left guard Sebastian Tretola, two key cogs along the line. Next year’s squad will feature two seniors and a junior, and should be a solid unit. But whether Bielema can maintain that depth without Pittman remains to be seen.

Defensively, Bielema’s squad is thin in the secondary and needs to bolster the unit with more than just safety Deon Edwards — a three-star hard commit from Lake Minneola, Fla. The Hogs should improve in the secondary, given that four of the five starters appear to be returning next season — all of them upperclassmen. The unit needs to replace strong safety Rohan Gaines, who finished third on the squad this year with 62 tackles.

The charismatic Bielema might not be able to talk face-to-face with any more recruits, which might be the real tragedy of the “dead” period. But the head coach still has some work cut out for him to continue to sculpt the Razorbacks into a winning program.