Tennessee Coach Phil Fulmer’s resignation has one of the nation’s top junior college defensive tackles rethinking his oral commitment to the Volunteers and planning to take a serious look at Arkansas.

Edwin Herbert, who played at Fairfield (Calif. ) Armijo before enrolling at City College of San Francisco, orally committed to the Vols in July.

“The whole thing that happened at Tennessee is sad,” Herbert said. “Right now I’m still verbally committed there, but my coach told me to keep my options open. So now schools are coming to talk to me. I’m giving everyone a clean slate, a fair shot.”

Herbert, 6-3, 290 pounds, 4. 82 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has scholarship offers from Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina State. He said he’ll make official visits to all three and a possible visit to Florida, which is showing increased attention.

Herbert, who is slated to graduate in December, is being recruited by Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson.

“He’s talking about me practicing in the spring and starting right away and being an impact player,” said Herbert, who has a 485-pound bench press and a 385-pound power clean. “He told me if I go [to Arkansas ], I’m going to get thrown into the mix right away. As a juco player, that’s what you like to hear.”

Coach George Rush said Herbert is excellent on and off the field.

“He’s an outstanding football player,” Rush said. “He has great quickness and great upper body strength. He plays hard, and he’s very dedicated during the offseason in the weight room.

“ He’s a very, very good student, and he’s great human being. He’s person you want to be around. He’s good for the team and he’s good for the community.”

Herbert said Robinson has talked to him about making his official visit during December.

Should Herbert choose Arkansas, he’ll be near his father, who lives in Van Buren. “It would be a good way for us to get to know one another better,” he said. Herbert’s pastor is also originally from Arkansas. “He’s a big Arkansas fan,” Herbert said. “He played high school football, and he wants me to go to Arkansas. He wants me to be a Razorback more than anything.” While his ties to Arkansas are a plus, Herbert said he respects the Razorbacks program. “Arkansas impresses me because they’re an SEC team,” he said. “I know they’ve had success in the past. Arkansas is a place where I could definitely see myself going.”

POWELL A PRIZE The Arkansas men’s basketball team signed three players during the early signing period: Center Anthony Borden, 7-0, 230 pounds, of West Memphis; power forward Marshawn Powell, 6-7, 220, of Charlottesville, Va.; and Cloud County (Kan. ) Community College swingman Jemal Farmer, 6-5, 213.

Powell, who is considered the marquee prospect of the three, averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocked shots per game last season for Miller School and is rated the No. 36 player in the nation by Van Coleman of CBS College Sports. Miller Coach Fred Wawner said he thinks Arkansas is getting a gifted player. “He’s very dynamic in terms of offensively. He can step out and make shots,” Wawner said. “In the post, he has fantastic footwork. What separates him from other kids is his hands. He truly catches everything. It sounds like something that’s pretty small, but he actually has the gift that lots of guys don’t. He has a knack for putting the ball in the basket.” Powell also has an outstanding work ethic, Wawner said. “The other thing that people in Arkansas should like is his motor,” Wawner said. “He plays the game really, really hard. He’s very passionate about basketball. He lays it on the line every time he puts a uniform on.”

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline. com