One of Arkansas’ top recruiting targets, cornerback Raymond Wingo, is planning to visit Arkansas on Monday along with numerous family members, including older brother and former Hogs running back Ronnie Wingo Jr.
Raymond Wingo, 6-1, 174, 4.31 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of St. Louis University High School, posted a 100-meter time of 10.49 during track season in the spring.
Arkansas, Tennessee, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri are among 14 schools who have offered scholarships to Wingo. He’s been to Fayetteville several times to visit his brother while he was playing but he said the tables will be turned on this trip.
“It’s gonna be fun because he’s going to show me,” Wingo said. “It’s going be a day for me, and I’m just coming up there for him to show me around.”
Wingo played quarterback for the Junior Bills, rushing 142 times for 1,379 yards and 20 touchdowns and had 11 receptions for 152 yards, but said he prefers to play cornerback in college.
Wingo recorded 23 tackles and had five interceptions as a junior.
Getting acquainted with Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema is high on Wingo’s to-do list during the trip.
“That’s probably the main thing,” said Wingo, who’s been is steady contact with defensive coordinator Chris Ash. “Because I know how good he did at Wisconsin. I just want see what kind of person he is he is face to face.”
Wingo said he plans to take all five of his allotted official visit after his season is over.
LINEMAN PLANS VISIT
One of Ohio’s top junior prospects will visit Arkansas in July.
Offensive lineman Rob Dowdy, 6-7, 285, 5.0, of Westerville South High School, received a scholarship offer from the Hogs about three weeks ago to go along with offers from Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Illinois, West Virginia and Indiana. He’s being recruited by Arkansas cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson, who is a native of Ohio.
Dowdy and his mother, Crystal Poesy, plan to do a tour of Southern schools, including Arkansas, Alabama, LSU and Georgia from July 21-25.
“I absolutely love Arkansas,” Dowdy said. “I’m a Ohio kid but I really love the SEC, great football. I talk to Coach Johnson. I really like him. It’s not like a football-player type of relationship, it’s more like a friend-type relationship that we have. I can’t wait to go up there.”
Dowdy and his mother have already logged up high mileage the past few months with visits to Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio State, Kentucky, Indiana and Georgia Tech. He said the trips can be tiring but he said he and his mother wouldn’t have any other way.
“It can be but me and my mom, if you’re not moving then we don’t know what to do with ourselves,”Dowdy said.
Dowdy said he isn’t shy about voicing his love for his mother and acknowledges being a momma’s boy.
“I’m not afraid to admit it,” he said.
He said his mother thinks of others before herself.
“My mom and I bonded through the struggles that we’ve had,” Dowdy said. “She’s always looked out for me. She puts everybody before herself.”
MUSIC MAN
Arkansas stands at the top of receiver Jared Cornelius’ list of schools and will get a visit in July.
Cornelius, 6-1, 190, of Shreveport (La.) Evangel reports having seven scholarship offers, including Arkansas, Tennessee, Tulsa, San Diego State and Houston.
“Right now they’re my top school, being in the SEC,” Cornelius said. “That’s really where I want to be far as conferences goes.”
He caught 90 passes for 1,585 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior.
In addition to Arkansas, Cornelius said he also plans to visit San Diego State, LSU, Texas A&M and Tulsa. He said he must feel comfortable with a school’s surroundings and coaching staff along with the opportunity to get on the field early.
“I don’t want to behind someone my whole college career,” Cornelius said. “Playing time and preparation for the NFL, because I want to play on the next level.”
Cornelius said Arkansas receivers coach Michael Smith is trying to lure him to Fayetteville.
“He seems like a real cool dude,” Cornelius said. “He thinks I can be a an impact player and I can really change the team.”
Cornelius is as musically inclined as he is athletic. He plays seven different instruments, including bass guitar, drums, trumpet and saxophone, and would like to be a music producer.
“It runs in the family,” he said. “My mom sings, my sister plays piano and I just get it from them.”
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkasasonline.com
Sports, Pages 19 on 06/25/2013