FAYETTEVILLE — Bobby Petrino and his staff are proving that recruiting has turned into a sport of its own.

Petrino played catch-up this past January but assembled what looks like a very good recruiting class. The Razorbacks were behind because Petrino wasn’t able to put together a staff and hit the road recruiting until mid-January. This year, Petrino and his staff are laying the groundwork for their first full class at Arkansas.

Arkansas has oral commitments from Helena-West Helena Central cornerback Darius Winston, 6-0, 175, 4. 38 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and Fayetteville offensive lineman Colby Berna, 6-4, 280, 5. 1. Winston has been busy collecting scholarship offers despite his oral pledge to the Razorbacks. Others offering him are Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Miami, Tennessee, Memphis and Oklahoma.

Arkansas also extended a scholarship offer to Pulaski Academy wide receiver Neal Barlow, 6-6, 200, 4. 6, this week. Barlow caught 81 passes for 1, 164 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior, and he teamed with Arkansas signee Cruz Williams to give the Bruins an outstanding onetwo punch at wide receiver.

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Arkansas recently offered Tulsa East Central cornerback David Gordon, 6-0, 170, 4. 4. Arkansas needs to sign some cornerbacks in this class, and Gordon and Winston would be a nice start. Gordon’s father and uncle are from Fort Smith.

“My parents love Arkansas, so it was a good thing,” Gordon said of getting the scholarship offer. “I wasn’t expecting it, but I wanted it.”

Tulsa also has offered Gordon, while Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are very involved as well. Gordon has been clocked at 10. 4 in the 100-meter dash and could double in track if he attends Arkansas.

Arkansas failed to sign a tight end in the Class of 2008, but it is targeting several in hopes of adding at least one next February.

Klein (Texas ) Oak tight end Jordan Najvar, 6-6, 215, 4. 7, is reporting offers from Arkansas and Arizona. As a junior, Najvar caught 12 passes for 160 yards and 1 touchdown.

In February, Arkansas made a late push into Destrehan, La., and signed defensive back Jerico Nelson, and the Razorbacks are hoping to make an early splash at the same school this year.

Defensive tackle Darrington Sentimore, 6-3, 265, 4. 6, is reporting offers from Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M. As a junior, Sentimore had 120 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 16 sacks.

Princeton (N. J. ) Hun School defensive end Anthony LoLota, 6-6, 260, 4. 64, is reporting an offer from the Razorbacks. LoLota had 40 tackles, 10 sacks and 1 pass breakup as a junior. Among his other scholarship offers are LSU, Maryland, Michigan State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Stanford, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Virginia and West Virginia.

Scottsdale, Ariz., defensive end Craig Roh, 6-5, 230, 4. 75, has Arkansas among his long list of schools that have extended a football scholarship. Roh has offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Missouri and Miami.

COVERAGE AREAS Arkansas will use May for its 20 days the NCAA allows during the spring evaluation period. Arkansas will recruit by assigned territories during that month. In the fall, the area coach will continue to recruit but will be joined by the position coach.

Tim Horton will recruit Arkansas from Morrilton on east and south. Bobby Allen will take southwest Arkansas as well as east Texas and northern Louisiana. Willy Robinson will take central and southern Louisiana.

Garrick McGee will have Oklahoma and parts of Dallas. Mike Summers will recruit Northwest Arkansas as well as parts of Dallas. Kirk Botkin will have the Houston area. Reggie Johnson will take Memphis and the Tampa area in Florida.

Paul Petrino will have Florida, while Lorenzo Ward has Atlanta.