LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas is expected to receive a visit from highly recruited junior safety Nick Glass in April or May.
Glass, 6-1, 203 pounds, 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, plays for Suwanee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge and has approximately 40 scholarship offers from schools that include Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Ohio State. He is orally committed to Georgia.
Arkansas cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson is a major reason for Glass’ planned visit to Fayetteville.
“I’ve created a great relationship with Coach Johnson and he’s been very consistent,” Glass said. “I’m grateful for him recruiting me, and I want to repay him and go there for a visit. He’s just avery likeable coach.”
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema, who led Wisconsin to three consecutive Big Ten championships and three Rose Bowl appearances, is also a factor in Glass’ desire to visit.
“They put together good teams, and I think they can do the same in the SEC,” Glass said.
The Hogs are also getting help from freshman cornerback Ray Buchanan Jr., who was a teammate of Glass in 2011.
“He said he loved it,” Glass said. “He wanted us to come out and visit.”
Glass, who plans to take his five allotted official visits, is concerned about Georgia filling up on safeties on signing day.
“I still like Georgia a lot,” he said. “They’re a hometown favorite. They have five safeties signed. That’s deep to me.”
QB LIKES OFFENSE
Charlotte (N.C.) West Mecklenburg junior quarterback Jalan McClendon attended Tennessee’s summer camp last year and was able to work with Arkansas offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Jim Chaney.
That experience has him interested in checking out the Hogs.
McClendon, 6-5, 195 pounds, 4.72 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has scholarship offers from four schools, including North Carolina and Wake Forest.
“He’s a cool guy, funny,” McClendon said of Chaney.“He’s a jokester. He’s a good coach, too.”
McClendon said being able to learn Chaney’s offensive philosophy during camp drew him to Arkansas.
“He pretty much does a little bit of everything - the I formation, the spread, single back,” said McClendon, who has a 3.0 grade-point average and wants to major in broadcast journalism. “I think that takes more pressure off of the quarterback and gives them a little bit of leeway.”
McClendon passed for more than 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns while leading his team into the playoffs this past season.
“I’m mostly a pocket passer,” McClendon said. “I really don’t run much unless I need to. I can make all the throws.”
FINISHING STRONG
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and his staff closed out well with their first recruiting class.
After Bielema’s hiring Dec. 4, the Hogs hosted 25 prospects on official visits. Eighteen of the prospects weren’t committed to Arkansas prior to their visits, and 13 ended up signing with the Hogs. Four with scholarship offers from the Hogs signed with other schools, while linebacker Neville Hewitt of Georgia Military College didn’t receive a scholarship offer from Arkansas and signed with Marshall.
The Razorbacks were helped by landing offensive linemen Dan Skipper of Arvada (Colo.) Ralston Valley, Reeve Koehler of Honolulu St. Louis and Denver Kirkland of Miami Washington. All three are considered among the best in the nation at their positions.
Highly recruited running back Alex Collins of South Plantation, Fla., and quarterback Damon Mitchell of Egg Harbor City (N.J.) Cedar Creek also were late additions.
The Hogs were able to flip six recruits who were committed to others schools, including Mitchell (Georgia Tech); Skipper (Tennessee); Georgia Military College safety Tiquention Coleman (Wisconsin); Bellaire, Texas, running back Denzell Evans (Houston); Dallas South Oak Cliff receiver Melvinson Hartfield (Kansas State) and Coffeyville Community College linebacker Martrell Spaight (Kansas State).
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 23 on 02/15/2013