The Recruiting Guy

Texas running back tries to decide if Hogs are fit

Tight end-defensive end Daniel Sprinkle of White Hall.

Arkansas became the first SEC school to extend a scholarship offer to Charles West in June after the running back from Coppell, Texas, impressed Coach Bret Bielema during a camp.

West, 5-10, 190 pounds, 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash, also has scholarship offers from Kansas State, Texas Tech, San Diego State, Brigham Young University, Arkansas State and others.

"Right now I'm just going through the process," West said. "I don't have any favorites. I'm still going through school so I have a whole year left, so I'm not in any hurry to make any commitments."

West rushed 145 times for 1,177 yards, an average of 8.12 yards per carry, and 10 touchdowns as a junior. He also had 6 touchdowns on 11 catches for 262 yards and a 23.8 yard average.

He and running backs coach Joel Thomas are communicating on a regular basis.

"He talks to me almost every day," West said. "Just general questions and keeping in contact with him, talking about players on the team and coming down for a game this year."

The Razorbacks' home opener is Sept. 6 against Nicholls State.

"I plan to be at that first home game and try and catch as many home games as I can," West said. "I will officially visit Arkansas probably during the season."

West said Arkansas is one of the top schools on his list and that he thinks highly of the Razorbacks for several reasons.

"They're one of the biggest recruiting-wise, it's the SEC, and they produce NFL athletes and that's my dream," he said. "So I feel like it could be the right fit, and they pound the ball a lot."

MORE SPRINKLES?

Arkansas has one Sprinkle on the football roster and might add another in the future.

White Hall tight end/defensive end Daniel Sprinkle, the younger brother of Arkansas tight end Jeremy Sprinkle, attended Arkansas' scrimmage Aug. 16. The next day he and his parents met with Coach Bret Bielema and discussed the possibility of walking on and receiving a scholarship later.

"He was still letting me know he was wanting me to be a part of the team," Daniel Sprinkle said. "So he offered me to play for two years and put me on scholarship after that. He said they've used up a lot of scholarships this year. He said at anytime it could be a full scholarship."

Sprinkle, 6-4, 225 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds at Arkansas' three-day camp in June. The Razorbacks are recruiting him as an athlete.

Sprinkle had 24 receptions for 399 yards as a junior, as well as 71 tackles -- including 14 for a loss -- and 6 sacks.

He said he was excited about talking with Bielema.

"I wasn't ready to commit right away," he said. "It's exciting to know you have the opportunity to play, first of all."

Sprinkle is also a pitcher and a college baseball prospect as well. He took an official baseball visit to Auburn this weekend and was in attendance for the Tigers' football game against Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium. He has baseball scholarship offers from Auburn, Arkansas State, UALR and others. Arkansas is showing interest in baseball as well.

Sprinkle also could be taken in next spring's major-league baseball draft and is weighing which sport might be in his future.

"I'm still trying to decide," Sprinkle said.

SOEHNER SPLITS TIME

One of the state's top junior prospects, tight end Dylan Soehner of Prairie Grove, might add quarterback duties to his resume this season.

Soehner, 6-7, 265 pounds, has scholarship offers from Louisiana Tech and Arkansas State and is drawing interest from Arkansas, Auburn, Tennessee, Michigan and Northwestern, among others. He took snaps at quarterback during a recent intersquad game.

"I played tight end with one group and quarterback with the other group," said Soehner, who played quarterback in junior high."We really haven't picked a starting quarterback, so we don't know yet."

Soehner knows playing quarterback won't be an option in college but he is willing to do what he can to help his team.

"I think maybe being in the Wing-T and playing quarterback might show a little more athleticism than playing tight end," Soehner said. "Even if I do play tight end, I think [Coach Danny Abshier] is trying to get me the ball a little more this year."

Some project Soehner as an offensive tackle on the college level, but he said he would prefer to stay at tight end.

"I would like to play tight end, but being 16 years old it kind of depends how my body develops the next couple of years," he said. "I feel like I keep getting faster and faster, so I guess we'll see how it works out."

Soehner, who also plays basketball, has visited Arkansas several times. He said receiving a scholarship offer from Arkansas would be a big deal.

"It would definitely mean a lot to me obviously, but also to my team and town," Soehner said. "Our team represents our town. "

Email Richard Davenport at

rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 08/31/2014