There are those who say that very little can be learned about a roster from Spring Games. That may be true. Trying to learn personnel from a simple scrimmage is next to impossible. Sure, you get to see some of the bigger names run around a little bit. But assessing talent based on a scrimmage, well good luck with that.

First, country music superstar Garth Brooks bumped Arkansas from its annual Red-White Game, reducing it to a scrimmage one week earlier. Then Mother Nature chased the Hogs inside on Saturday for a closed scrimmage inside Walker Pavilion.

Arkansas will complete spring workouts with practice on Tuesday and Thursday before wrapping it up with a scrimmage next Saturday.

The first-team offense took on the second-team defense, with second-team offense facing the first-team defense. They also went some good on good as well. Head coach Sam Pittman indicated that some things were solidified. Here were 5 of the biggest takeaways from the glorified practice.

1. Receivers were still dropping passes

It was a frustrating aspect of the game last season and reared its ugly head again on Saturday. The receivers have to do a better job of securing catches if they are to live up to expectations and build on a 9-win season.

Getting better separation could help in that regard, but for the most part, the receiving corps wasn’t able to do that.

Already thin at the position, head coach Sam Pittman noted that Warren Thompson, the Hogs’ leading returning receiver was “dinged up” toward the end of the scrimmage.

We didn’t get a real good look at Oklahoma transfer Jadon Haselwood, who looks to be the Razorbacks’ best deep ball threat.

Perhaps backup quarterback Malik Hornsby was the most impressive receiver of the scrimmage, and backup receiver Harper Cole made a few catches as well.

2. DBs looked good

Speaking of getting separation, it was stellar play from the secondary that prevented receivers from finding any openings.

Though he was in a green “no contact: jersey, DB Jalen Catalon nevertheless was impressive in his return. He insists he’s 100% after shoulder surgery ended his 2021 season. The All-SEC safety proved his toughness, playing with a broken hand, suffered last September in a game with Texas A&M. He played with the injury until the shoulder problems sidelined him for the second half of last season.

3. Rocket Sanders showed he belongs

Sanders took the bulk of the snaps with the 1st team and had some impressive runs. He scored touchdowns on runs of 65 and 6 yards against the 2nd team defense on Saturday.

With Dominique Johnson still recovering from knee surgery, an injury suffered in the bowl game last season, it was Sanders stepping forward as the featured back.

4. Hornsby is an athlete

In addition to playing wide receiver and hauling in a couple of passes, Hornsby ran the 2nd team offense. He’s an athletic talent that Pittman hopes to employ in one form or another throughout the season.

“Malik is a guy we have to keep on the field,” Pittman said after the scrimmage.

5. Drew Sanders covers some ground

There wasn’t any tackling with the 1st and 2nd team players, so we didn’t get to see how physical he can be, but LB Drew Sanders, a transfer from Alabama, covered a lot of ground with the starting defense. And we already know he can hit. His limited action at Alabama showed that.

Sanders should fit well with fellow linebacker Bumper Pool, who needs 60 tackles next season to become the top tackler in Arkansas football history.