THE RECRUITING GUY : Arkansas’ offense catches Texas tight end’s attention

RICHARD DAVENPORT

Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/225625/

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino’s reputation for utilizing tight ends in his offense has caught the attention of one of the top prospects in Texas.

Tight end Jordan Najvar, 6-6, 235, 4. 59 speed in the 40-yard dash, of Klein (Texas ) Oak said he wants to play in an offense much like the one Arkansas put on display in the April 26 Red-White game, when tight ends D. J. Williams and Andrew Davie caught 11 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.

“I’m looking for a Spread offense where they can put me in various places as a tight end or an H-back and line up in the slot,” said Najvar, who’s recorded an outstanding pro-shuttle time of 4. 21. “A place they use you in a variety of ways. I think my speed creates a lot of mismatches. I think it allows me to do a lot of things other tight ends can’t.”

Najvar has scholarship offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Clemson, Nebraska, Houston, Northwestern and Kansas. He said Virginia, Stanford, Georgia, Oklahoma, Arizona State and Missouri are close to offering.

“Those are the main schools I’ve heard from,” he said.

Najvar helped lead Class 5 A Oak to a 10-2 record last season with 15 catches for 200 yards, 1 touchdown and 9 rushes for 79 yards and a touchdown.

“I’m looking for some place I can see myself the next four years and possibly live there after college,” said Najvar, who bench presses 295 pounds and squats 380. “Somewhere with a family atmosphere. A place like I live now, a small town, a great football place and get a great degree and have a great life after football is over with.”

Najvar said he plans to major in business management. He sees himself eventually owning his own business or possibly being a CEO or an executive in banking.

One advantange for Arkansas is that assistant coach Kirk Botkin, who is recruiting Najvar, was coached by Oak head coach David Smith when Smith was an assistant coach at Baytown (Texas ) Lee.

“He’s a cool guy; he played tight end like me,” Najvar said of Botkin. “He’s outgoing. That’s what I like to hear from a coach. ... I have a good relationship with all the coaches but he’s definitely one of those I can relate to. He’s a funny guy. He seems like one of those coaches you can have a great fun with off the field but when it’s on the field he’s going to be serious.”

Najvar said he also likes that Botkin played in the NFL for four seasons (1994-1997 ) with the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“The fact he knows what it takes to get into the NFL,” he said. “He has an understanding of what you have to do and knows if you have the talent or not to compete in the NFL.”

Najvar said he hears good things about Fayetteville from Oak assistant coach James Clancy, whose wife has family there.

The Razorbacks appear to be in good shape for a summer visit, Najvar said.

“I’m going to make my top three or five after spring training in about two weeks,” Najvar said. “Then I’m going to visit those three to five schools this summer. As of right now, there’s a very good chance I’m going to visit Arkansas this summer.” Najvar said he’ll make a decision on what school he plans to intend in late summer.

SECORDS IMPRESSED Frisco (Texas ) Wakeland Coach Marty Secord, whose son Will publicly committed to play quarterback for the Razorbacks on Saturday, made the trip to Fayetteville recently to visit with members of the Arkansas coaching staff. Secord came away impressed with the organizational skills and practice methods of the Hogs staff. “From my standpoint as a football coach,” Secord said. “I’ve coached on the high school and college level and just to see the organization of a guy like Bobby Petrino and his staff, they just do such a great job of putting together practice and how it flows together and everything fits, tons of repetitions and kids on the move all the time, no lazy steps. Those things were very impressive to me as a coach and I think they were to Will as well.”

Secord said he likes how the Arkansas offense plays to the strengths of the quarterback.

“They’re going to build things so the guy can be successful and the team is successful,” he said. “It’s a huge responsibility to be a quarterback at Arkansas, you can tell that from the outset. I do believe they’re recruiting the type of kids that’s going to be successful in that system. It’s a complex system, it’s pro-style. That’s the background of so many people that are there.”

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.