Arkansas hosted Gerri Green of Greenville (Miss.) Weston last Friday, and the defensive end/outside linebacker left with another scholarship offer.
Green, 6-4, 225 pounds, 4.56 seconds in the 40-yard dash, took a tour of Arkansas’ new football complex and said it is a top-of-the-line facility.
“You can tell from what you see it’s going to be state-of-the-art,” said Green, who also has SEC offers from Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Auburn.
Green, like several other prospects, noted the size of the players’ lockers.
“The locker is big enough for you to get a pillow and your headphones and you can go to sleep there,” he said.
The visit helped the Hogs’ chances, Green said, but he was reluctant to name any leaders.
“Arkansas is in the mix with everybody,” he said. “I’m just going to take my time with the process and see where I see myself.”
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema likes to meet prospects on campus before extending a scholarship offer or accepting a commitment, which impressed Green.
“I think that’s a good thing,” Green said. “I might be able to play on the field, but I could’ve had a jacked-up attitude. He just wanted to see what type of guy I was.”
Defensive quality control coach Brian Early made sure Green found his way to Fayetteville.
“He’s all fired up about Arkansas,” Green said. “He was the one that kept on me to make sure I got up there.”
Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, who coached2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt at Wisconsin, would coach Green if he signs with the Razorbacks.
“The time I spent with him was a amazing,” Green said. “He’s a real teacher. Even though he was just explaining to me the defense, I felt like he taught me a little bit more, skills and things.”
SHANNON’S APPEAL
Arkansas linebackers coach Randy Shannon’s concern for the individual is one of the main reasons Miami Gulliver Prep safety Cornelius Floyd is interested in the Razorbacks.
“He just wants to know how everything is going,” said Floyd, who talked to Shannon earlier this week. “He’s like a father figure.”
Floyd, 6-1, 170, 4.49, has scholarship offers from 14 schools, including Arkansas, Wake Forrest, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. He said he plans to take an official visit to Fayetteville.
“I want to go during the season,” said Floyd, who wants to make his college decision as soon as possible. “I heard it was beautiful. I heard they have a big scoreboard. It’s breathtaking. It stands out once you enter the stadium.”
Shannon, a Miami native, told Floyd the Razorbacks want him.
“He said they like Florida guys,” Floyd said.
BELL IN NO HURRY
Junction City junior Jamario Bell is accustomed to winning, having played for the Dragons and the Arkansas Wings.
Over the weekend he won his second AAU National Championship with the Wings in Orlando, Fla.
“It’s a great experience to win an AAU national championship, the second one,” Bell said. “I won one last year with Bobby Portis and Moses Kingsley. Those guys really showed me a lot of things. I was like a little kid and they kind of showed me the way.”
Bell, 6-6, 225, 4.7, is one of the best athletes in the state and has been offered a scholarship by Arkansas’ football team. The defensive end/ tight end was a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Super Sophomore team after recording 81 tackles, including 12 for a loss, and 5 sacks last season. He also had 15 receptions for 249 yards and 4 touchdowns while helping the Dragons capture the Class 2A state title.
Bell and his mother visited Arkansas during the prospects camp in June and plan to make a return trip Aug. 16-17. Tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. is his lead recruiter.
Bell also is drawing interest from Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee, and he said he doesn’t have a certain time frame for making his decision.
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 21 on 08/02/2013