Arkansas adds three commitments to list

BY RICHARD DAVENPORT

Posted on Monday, January 28, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/215113/

Arkansas hosted 15 recruits on official visits over the weekend and came away with three oral commitments. Defensive lineman Alfred Davis of College Park (Ga. ) Banneker, safety / linebacker Elton Ford of Alpharetta (Ga. ) Chattahoochee and offensive lineman Anthony Oden of Indianapolis Lawrence North all said yes to the Hogs.

Davis, 6-1, 300 pounds, 5. 2 seconds in the 40-yard dash, cited numerous positives about Arkansas.

“I’ve got family out here, and I feel comfortable around the players, and the weekend was just great,” Davis said. “The facilities were nice, and they have a good business program. I didn’t know the stadium was that big and the indoor facility and they have a 100-yard long weight room. That was kind of crazy.” Davis liked hanging out with quite a few Razorbacks who hail from Georgia, including defensive lineman Patrick Jones, who’s from Hampton, Ga., and hosted Davis for the weekend. “I liked bonding with the players,” said Davis, who recorded 55 tackles, 24 tackles

1 for losses and 3 / 2 sacks this past season. “A lot of the players are from back home in Atlanta. Patrick Jones, he’s from there and we can relate with each other.” Davis said he will help recruit one of his high school teammates, wide receiver Steven Fowlkes, who also made an official visit to Fayetteville during the weekend. Fowlkes, 6-5, 215, 4. 57, orally committed to Tennessee during the summer but had a very good visit and will decide between the Hogs and the Vols.

Ford, 6-0, 200 pounds, 4. 47, also was impressed with Arkansas’ facilities and said he felt at home while on the trip.

“I was kind of surprised when Coach Paul Petrino came and picked us up,” Ford said. “He took us to the stadium and I enjoyed that. They probably have one of the top facilities in America. That was nice to see. I enjoyed the whole thing. The players were good, and everybody was cool and relaxed. I felt like I was at home.”

Ford said he also was impressed with the dorm rooms and the business school at Arkansas.

Ford described how Petrino reacted when he committed to the Razorbacks.

“He just looked at me and shook my hand,” Ford said. “And said ‘I’m glad to have you. We can’t wait to get you here and we’re going to win some games and this class is going to win the national championship.’ I look forward to doing it.”

Ford played on offense and defense for Chattahoochee. He rushed for 593 yards and five touchdowns and recorded 107 tackles, 9 pass deflections and 4 interceptions in his only season at the school. He was named Fulton County player of the year by one publication.

Defensive end Adrian Davis was Ford’s host for the visit.

Oden, 6-8, 295 pounds, 4. 87, said he liked his visit and being able to meet other recruits who have committed to the Hogs.

“It was good,” Oden said. “The visit went nice, and I met a lot of the other commitments and it was a lot of fun. They’re very strict on academics. They showed me a lot of things, the facilities and I met a lot of the coaches.”

Oden said Petrino was happy about his commitment to the Razorbacks.

“He said it was a pleasure for him to coach me, and he was excited,” said Oden, the younger brother of Greg Oden of the Portland Trail Blazers. “We’re both excited, and he wanted me to be a part of the program and was happy I committed.”

Oden said the Razorbacks expect him to contribute next year, but if not, he’ll sit out a year.

“They want me to come in and be ready to play,” he said. “But if I come and don’t look like I can play, they’re going to redshirt me.”

Oden said he meshed well with offensive tackle Jose Valdez, who hosted Oden for the weekend.

Oden had around 15 scholarship offers, from such schools as Indiana, Oregon State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, North Carolina State and Kansas.

A source said Dacula, Ga., safety / running back Khiry Battle reconfirmed his commitment to Arkansas after his visit this weekend.

In other recruiting news, North Little Rock defensive lineman Zach Stadther, who’s considered one of the top linemen in the state, said he will take an official visit to Arkansas on Feb. 1. Stadther, 6-1, 275 pounds, 5. 1, committed to Kansas last June.