RECRUITING : Razorbacks trying to restock after loss of talented backfield

OTIS KIRK

Posted on Sunday, April 13, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/222663/

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas fans will watch the NFL Draft in two weeks, and there will be plenty of former Arkansas running backs among the players taken.

Darren McFadden is the toprated player in the draft, according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper and others, and will be among the first players drafted. Felix Jones will almost certainly go in the first round, and fullback Peyton Hillis is expected to hear his name called at some point during the draft.

Arkansas started revamping its backfield this past February when three running backs were signed. The Razorbacks could add three or more in the next recruiting class as well.

Helena-West Helena Central running back Turell Williams, 6-0, 205, 4. 52 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has given Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino an oral pledge. Like most running backs, Williams is a good athlete who could play other positions if needed. He could help at linebacker, safety or even wide receiver, though it’s likely he will be given every opportunity to play tailback.

Williams originally committed to Ole Miss before switching to the Razorbacks.

“I didn’t want to leave the state,” Williams said. “Being a Razorback is special.”

Arkansas has extended a scholarship offer to River Ridge (La. ) John Curtis running back Kenny Cain, 6-1, 200, 4. 6. Cain rushed for 1, 122 yards and 15 touchdowns on 132 carries as a junior.

Aldine (Texas ) Eisenhower tailback Curtis McGregor, 5-10, 190, 4. 5, has offers to Arkansas, Arizona and Texas Tech. Mc-Gregor, like Williams, has outstanding hands and catches the football well out of the backfield.

McGregor rushed for 982 yards and 8 touchdowns on 175 carries as a junior and caught 42 passes for 603 yards and 3 touchdowns. He said he was glued to the television when Arkansas played last year.

“I loved to watch No. 5 [Mc-Fadden ],” McGregor said. “I saw him a lot. The thing I liked about him is he ran hard on every single play. He had breakaway speed but would run over the defender, too.”

Geismar (La. ) Dutchtown tailback Eddie Lacey, 5-11, 200, 4. 4, is another running back on Arkansas’ radar.

Rivals. com rates Lacey the No. 74 player in the nation and a four-star recruit after he rushed for 1, 800 yards as a junior. Arkansas, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Louisiana Tech are among the early schools recruiting Lacey the hardest.

Arkansas recently offered Norcross, Ga., running back D. J. Adams, 5-10, 190, 4. 48, a scholarship. Adams has several relatives who live in Little Rock and his mother, the former Karen Powell, is an Arkansas graduate.

Adams rushed for 1, 462 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior on 204 carries. Adams also caught 12 passes for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns.

“My mother has told me a lot of great things about Arkansas,” said Adams, who has more than 10 offers. “All my relatives in Little Rock are Arkansas fans and go to all the football games at War Memorial Stadium when the Razorbacks play there. I will take both an unofficial and an official visit to Arkansas.”

Monroe (La. ) Ouachita running back Montrell Conner, 6-2, 210, 4. 5, is the big, bruising back Petrino loves to have. Conner rushed for 1, 239 yards and 13 touchdowns on 205 carries as a junior. Rivals. com rates Conner the No. 75 player in the country and a four-star recruit.

Sioux City (Iowa ) Bishop Heelan running back Brandon Wegher, 5-11, 190, 4. 42, attended last Sunday’s scrimmage at Arkansas and was offered a scholarship this week by the Razorbacks. Wegher is also a talented defensive back and has more than 10 offers as well.

As a junior, Wegher rushed for 2, 334 yards on 286 carries while catching 19 passes for 279 yards. He also had 28 tackles, 1 interception and 9 pass breakups.

St. Louis University’s Ronnie Wingo Jr., 6-2, 206, 4. 4, is a big and fast back who is looking hard at Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and others.