LITTLE ROCK — Junior college offensive lineman Johnathan McClure had a good official visit over the weekend and could become the 17th player to orally commit to Arkansas.
McClure, 6-4, 305 pounds, of Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., earned second-team All-America honors as a freshman. He was accompanied by his father and grandmother, who’s from Huntsville, on the trip to Fayetteville.
“He really loves it,” said McClure’s father, John. “I think he really wants to commit, but I told him we’re going to sit back - and his mom is going to come back next week - and we’re going sit down as a family and discuss things, and we’ll see what happens.”
Johnathan McClure, who’s being recruited by secondary coach Bobby Allen, was named first team all-state by the Kansas Football Coaches Association as a senior at Wichita (Kan.) Heights before going to Kansas State as a preferred walk-on in 2010. He left the Wildcats’ program after the fall semester and enrolled at Butler.
Hogs redshirt offensive lineman Austin Beck was McClure’s player-host for the visit.
“He took him to meet all of the players, the offensive line,” John McClure said. “I think John told me a little bit ago that he met with the center and they talked for about a hour, so it was good.”
John McClure said he believes Arkansas’ academic structure for athletes stands alone.
“Very good ... I mean, I know when John was at KState the very first time and they had a very good academic program, but I think this one surpasses that tremendously,” John McClure said.
McClure’s grandmother was able to get a firsthand look at a major-college football program.
“She enjoyed the whole process,” John McClure said. “She’s never really seen the inside of football and what it takes.”
PALACE VISITS
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson and his staff hosted four prospects on unofficial visits during the “Primetime in the Palace” event that gave Razorbacks fans their first look at the 2012-2013 team Friday evening.
Power forward Bobby Portis, 6-9 1/2, 220, of Little Rock Hall; freshman shooting guard Adrian Moore, 6-4, 165, of Conway; sophomore point guard Tereke Eckwood, 5-10, 155, of Springdale, and junior point guard Kahron Ross, 5-11, 142, of Jonesboro attended. Portis has committed to Arkansas.
Eckwood played for Yanders’ Law in Missouri during the spring and summer.
“He’s just a really, really good basketball player, but not only is he a good basketball player. but he’s a really good person, too,” said Rob Yanders, who coached the team. “I think his specialty is getting to the bucket, creating other opportunities for his teammates. He went down to the Kansas camp and won MVP. Coach Bill Self really liked him.”
Talent runs in Eckwood’s family, especially on the side of his father, Theron.
Theron Eckwood’s uncle, Jerry, played running back for the Hogs in the mid-70s before playing in the NFL. Another uncle, Stan, played basketball at Harding University and was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1979.
Yanders, who played point guard at Missouri State, is entering his 10th season of playing in Europe and is playing for a team in Kaysersberg, France. He said he thinks Tereke Eckwood’s talents will take him far in college.
“He’s an explosive player who I believe will play at a very high level if he keeps his head clean and continues to listen the way he does,” Yanders said.
Summer coaches also have high hopes for Moore.
Gabe Corchiana, who along with Moore’s father, Dennis, coached Moore during the spring and summer on the New Orleans-based 14-under Dunk Dog Elite, said Moore’s talent and work ethic are topnotch.
“First of all, he always dedicates 100 percent to whatever he does,” Corchiana said. “He’s a type of kid that’s always trying to compete and trying to be the best. He’s got a lot of God-given talent and at the same time, he has the attitude and the determination and competitiveness to go ahead and back it up.”
Future150.com rates Moore the No. 13 prospect in the 2016 class. Corchiana also sees Moore as one of the best in his class.
“He, in my opinion, is a top 25 player.” he said.
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 24 on 10/16/2012