LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas was hot on the trail of highly touted offensive lineman Josh Outlaw before he orally committed to Florida in April.
It appears the Hogs are back in the hunt after he rescinded his pledge to the Gators about two weeks ago.
“I have a quite a bit of interest in Arkansas,” said Outlaw, who reports a 350-pound bench press. “They’re a very good program.”
Outlaw , 6-4, 275 pounds, 5.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash, plays for Lithonia (Ga.) Martin Luther King. He has been offered scholarships by approximately 35 schools, including Arkansas, Florida, Miami, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson and Tennessee.
“They definitely had me interested before I committed to Florida,” Outlaw said of Arkansas. “Now that I’m out they’ve picked up interest and I picked up interest as well. I’m trying to decide whether I visit or if I can visit. “
CBS Sports Network national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming travels about five months a year seeing approximately 1,200 of the top prospects in the country. During a stop in the Atlanta area, Lemming met with Outlaw and talked to his coach, Michael Carson, who spoke highly of Outlaw’s talent and work ethic.
“I like him a lot,” said Lemming, who rates Outlaw a four-star recruit and a top-200 prospect nationally. “He’s one of the better linemen I saw down there. He’s athletic, quick, aggressive and hard working.”
Arkansas associate head coach and linebackers coach Taver Johnson and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis are recruiting Outlaw aggressively.
“They’re great,” said Outlaw, who graded out at 92 percent with 55 pancake blocks as a junior. “I love Coach Johnson. We’ve established a very good relationship. I also have a good relationship with Coach K as well. He’s a great guy, very fiery. He’s a real good guy, and I’m looking forward to talking and making a trip soon. “
Outlaw isn’t saying which schools he might officially visit, but the Hogs are in contention.
“Right now I’m undecided,” he said. “Everything is pretty much open, but Arkansas will be considered.”
With Arkansas needing offensive linemen and the Razorbacks signing only two in 2012, Outlaw said the Hogs are enticing.
“Definitely,” Outlaw said, “because I would like to come in and contribute.”
A GOOD FEELING
Defensive end Jamone Boyd of Lee’s Summit (Mo.) West High School plans to make an official visit to Arkansas on Sept. 15 for the Alabama game, and he’s looking forward to a postgame celebration.
“I’m looking for a ‘W’ for us, that’s what I’m looking for,” Boyd said. “I’m going to say 26-17.”
Boyd, 6-4, 265 pounds, 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has been offered scholarships by 13 schools, including Arkansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Oklahoma State.
Boyd and his teammates cruised to a 23-0 victory over rival Kansas City Staley on Saturday in a game televised by ESPN.
“Our team really came together,” Boyd said. “We were playing our No. 1 rivalry. I tried not to think about the ESPN thing because it will only make me play bad. I would’ve been all nervous and all that so I didn’t tried to not think about it.”
Boyd, whose lead recruiter at Arkansas has been offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Paul Petrino, opened eyes with his athleticism and physical stature during Arkansas’ junior-senior prospect camp in July, and the camp gave him the opportunity to get to know and interact with defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell.
“I have a good feeling with my position coach,” Boyd said. “I actually have a good relationship with my position coach right now. He’s the only position coach I’ve ever talked to like that.”
He said Caldwell’s coaching style is similar to his current coach, Limbo Parks, who played on the offensive line at Arkansas and earned All-SWC honors in the mid-1980s.
“He reminded me of the coach I have right now,” Boyd said. “He can be a hard-nosed coach. I would rather go with the same relationship I have right now with my coach in high school and transfer it over to the coach in college. I think that would be really good for me.”
E-mail Richard Davenport at
rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 27 on 08/31/2012