RECRUITING : In-state athletes could be getting offers after Petrino’s camp

OTIS KIRK

Posted on Sunday, June 8, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/228055/

FAYETTEVILLE— Arkansas has extended seven scholarship offers to in-state athletes and the Bobby Petrino Football Camp that begins today could see others receive offers before the end of the week.

The NCAA doesn’t allow a coach to offer a scholarship to an athlete at the camp, but the prospect can call the coach when he leaves the camp and get an offer that way. Two years ago, Shiloh Christian wide receiver Crosby Tuck was offered a scholarship after the camp, and Fort Smith Northside offensive lineman Austin Eoff earned an offer last year. It will be surprising if someone doesn’t get offered after the camp concludes Wednesday.

Of the seven offers, Arkansas has had four of the athletes orally commit. Helena-West Helena Central cornerback Darius Winston, 6-1, 180 pounds, 4. 34 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and running back Turell Williams, 6-2, 205, 4. 52, are committed along with Fayetteville offensive lineman Colby Berna, 6-4, 280, 5. 1, and Harrison tight end Austin Tate, 6-6, 225, 4. 75.

Hoxie defensive lineman Derek Johnson, 6-3, 285, 5. 0, was offered a scholarship by Arkansas and others, but has opted to commit to Texas. Pulaski Academy wide receiver Neal Barlow, 6-7, 200, 4. 6, and Pine Bluff Dollarway athlete Jesse Grandy, 5-11, 154, 4. 44, haven’t made a decision yet.

Barlow picked up offers from LSU and Kansas this week to go with previous ones from Arkansas, Missouri and Tulsa. Barlow spent much of the week attending a team camp at Tulsa after visiting Kansas on Tuesday.

Grandy has offers from Arkansas and Tulsa, but is hoping for an offer from LSU and others.

While it’s not considered a banner year in the state for football prospects in the class of 2009, it isn’t really a poor year, either, considering around 10 or more offers could be handed out before national signing day. North Little Rock defensive end Anthony Rogers, 6-4, 235, 4. 9, has orally committed to Mississippi State, but has picked up several other offers and the Razorbacks likely will extend an offer if he does well at the camp. Rogers turned in an excellent performance at the Nike Camp in Fort Worth this spring.

The offensive line is an area where Arkansas traditionally has handed out offers to instate players and been rewarded nicely through the years. Several linemen will make their way to one of Petrino’s camps this summer hoping to earn an offer.

Corning’s Jake McDonald, 6-3, 280, 5. 1, along with Rogers might be the closest to gaining an offer from Arkansas. McDonald could earn a scholarship with a good showing at Petrino’s camp this week. McDonald was an unknown earlier, but burst onto the recruiting scene with a good showing at a football combine in Springdale earlier in the spring. While McDonald is very talented, he isn’t the only offensive line prospect hopeful of joining Berna at Arkansas. DeWitt’s Justin Carney, 6-6, 280, 5. 21; Vilonia’s Tyler Stauch, 6-3, 270, 5. 1, and White Hall’s Nick

1 Partridge, 6-5 / 2, 300, 5. 4, and Brett 1 Craine, 6-6 / 2, 285, 5. 36, are among others who could earn offers from the Razorbacks. While the class of 2009 is starting to take shape in the state, the class of 2010 looks to be among the best in the state in recent years. Little Rock Christian running back Michael Dyer, 5-10, 190, 4. 35, already has pocketed an offer from the Razorbacks. Dyer will be in attendance at Petrino’s camp this week. Dyer is an almost certain four- or five-star prospect when he gets to his senior season. As a sophomore, Dyer rushed for 2, 710 yards and 28 touchdowns on 279 carries.

Dyer isn’t the only top prospect emerging early in 2010. Pine Bluff quarterback Claude Johnson, 6-1, 190, 4. 5, has drawn favorable comparisons from some observers to former Pine Bluff quarterback Eric Mitchel and Fort Smith Northside’s Kodi Burns at a similar stage of their careers.

Junction City is better known for turning out basketball standout James Anderson recently, but defensive lineman Byran Jones, 6-3, 285, 5. 1, attended the FCA Combine in March and showed why he’s on a lot of early lists around the nation.

The talent in Arkansas has been on the rise in recent years and it appears that isn’t going to change anytime soon.