FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas ’ Paul Petrino has a reputation for developing wide receivers, and it appears to be paying off in recruiting.

The Razorbacks signed an impressive group of receivers in February and are trying to add some more to the Class of 2009. The in-state crop includes a trio of receivers who have been offered by Arkansas, and then out of state, Arkansas is all over the map recruiting. Petrino concentrates his recruiting efforts mostly in Florida and has offered some top-rated receivers in that state as well.

Inside the state, Pulaski Academy’s Neal Barlow, 6-7, 200, 4. 6 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Dollarway’s Jesse Grandy, 5-11, 154, 4. 44, and Lafayette County’s Rickey Hughey, 6-5, 221, 4. 75, have been offered. At this time, the only known new scholarship offers to come out of Arkansas ’ Seniors Camp last weekend went to Hughey and Texarkana (Texas ) Texas High’s Cobi Hamilton, 6-4, 190, 4. 54.

Both are receivers, though Hughey and Grandy are considered more athletes than certain receivers. Barlow and Hamilton are certain wide receivers in college. Grandy likely will be a receiver, though he could play cornerback after a year in the weight room, while Hughey might be headed to the defensive line much like Jamaal Anderson did upon signing with the Razorbacks.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hamilton also added a scholarship offer from Kansas to his list this week, making 10 offers for him. Barlow will visit LSU on Tuesday and then at some point hopes to decide between Arkansas, LSU, Kansas and Missouri. North Carolina wanted Barlow as a tight end, so he dropped it from his list. Grandy also has offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tulsa and Louisiana Tech.

Mobile (Ala. ) Williamson wide receiver Mujahid Assad, 6-1, 180, 4. 4, has several offers, but favors Arkansas and Mississippi State at this time. Assad became interested in the Razorbacks the day Bobby Petrino left Atlanta to head to Arkansas.

“I used to favor Louisville,” Assad said. “I really like Coach Petrino and his style of offense. I know athletes such as Darren McFadden and Tyson Gay also went there. They are two of my favorite athletes. I’m a big fan of both those guys. I would love to play for Coach Petrino.”

Assad is rated a three-star recruit by Rivals. com, which also rates him the No. 23 player in Alabama. As a junior, Assad caught 33 passes for 517 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“I want to go where I can get my degree,” Assad said. “I also want to go where I can relate to the players and coaching staff. I want the place I go to feel like home to me.”

Ole Miss, Alabama-Birmingham and Marshall have also offered scholarships to Assad. It’s likely Alabama and Auburn will come in with offers at some point. Assad feels that he has a lot to offer to any school needing a receiver.

“I have good speed, and I run good routes,” Assad said. “I will make my decision very late, maybe on the last day possible. I want to take all my official visits and to see who all offers me a scholarship.”

Assad is looking forward to his senior season and feels it will be a lot of fun. Williamson was 10-4 last year, and Assad thinks his team might be better this season.

“I think we could win state this year,” Assad said. “We have a lot of our key players back from last year.”

Lafayette (La. ) Carencro wide receiver Ricky Johnson, 6-2, 190, 4. 5, is a rarity of sorts in that he might end up playing football and basketball in college. Johnson has scholarship offers from schools such as Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Tulane and Tulsa.

Marietta (Ga. ) Kell wide receiver Marlon Anthony, 6-5, 180, 4. 7, is a big target who is reporting scholarship offers from Arkansas, Indiana and Marshall. As a junior, Anthony caught 60 passes for 969 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Havana (Fla. ) East Gadsden athlete Lance Ray, 6-2, 183, 4. 43, is a player Paul Petrino is spending a lot of time personally recruiting. Ray has received 20 or more scholarship offers and can play numerous positions, though Petrino wants him for his stable of receivers. Florida is the school to beat for Ray if the Gators offer him a scholarship, but Florida is one of the few majors that haven’t offered at this time.

Arkansas is on many other talented receivers, and with Bobby Petrino’s offense, it seems that might be the case for years to come.