THE RECRUITING GUY

Hope end offered by Arkansas; Baylor close behind

Arkansas tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. watches practice on April 6, 2013 at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

Arkansas extended its third scholarship offer to an in-state prospect for the 2016 class Wednesday morning when tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. called Hope Coach Jay Turley and told him the Razorbacks were making an offer to defensive end McTelvin Agim

“He’s excited, super excited,” Turley said. “Arkansas has been one of his favorites from the get-go because they were the first to show interest and showed interest early in the year and even during the season.”

Agim, 6-2, 245 pounds, 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, was recently named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sophomore Defensive Player of the Year after helping lead the Bobcats to the semifinals of the Class 5A playoffs. He recorded 77 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, and 16 sacks last season.

Baylor coaches extended an offer to Agim later Wednesday while at the school.

“It’s just real surreal for him right now, being a sophomore and getting this attention,” Turley said. “He’s going to get a lot more.”

Agim recorded a 285-pound bench press, a 265-pound power clean and a 400-pound squat shortly after the season. He possesses explosiveness off the line and has the ability to close quickly on the ball.

Turley said Agim isn’t one to rest on his laurels.

“He’s real driven and motivated to not be the best defensive end in Arkansas, but the best defensive end in the nation coming out of high school,” Turley said.

Agim attended the eighth grade at Rowlett, a suburb of Dallas, before moving to Blevins for the first semester of his ninth-grade year. He transferred to Hope during the next semester after his mother enrolled at the University of Arkansas Community College.

“I think what defines McTelvin is the way he pursues the ball,” Turley said. “Against White Hall, a running back broke for a long run and Sosa [Agim’s nickname] chased him down from 50 yards behind, a kid that’s obviously faster than him. He took a great angle and just never gave up.”

Star City defensive lineman Austin Capps and Jonesboro running back Denzel Mitchell, two other members for the 2016 class, also have received scholarship offers from Arkansas.

TAKING ANOTHER LOOK

Arkansas will host highly regarded defensive lineman Breeland Speaks of Jackson (Miss.) Callaway for an official visit this weekend.

Speaks, 6-4, 285 pounds, 4.98 seconds in the 40-yard dash, visited Arkansas with his father in June when he participated in a Razorbacks football camp and earned a scholarship offer.

“I’m ready to get back up there,” said Speaks, who is orally committed to Mississippi. “When I was up there the first time I had fun. I’m ready to see all the new things that have come about since I’ve been up there.”

Speaks was named The Clarion-Ledger’s 2013 Metro Player of the Year after recording 116 tackles and 26 1/2 tackles for loss last season. Arkansas defensive line coach Rory Segrest made an inhome visit about a week ago.

“He knows what he’s talking about,” Speaks said. “He’s been in the NFL, and he basically wants results from the guys. I could tell he and I would have the same mind-set in regards to finishing plays and getting the sack.That’s the mind-set.”

Speaks took an official visit to LSU on Jan. 17 and to Ole Miss this past weekend , when he reconfirmed his pledge to the Rebels. He said he isn’t sure what it would take to sway him to Arkansas.

“I really don’t know,” he said. “I guess it’s just a feeling once you get on campus.”

Speaks’ parents, Clyde and Brenda, and his brother, Marcellus, the defensive coordinator at Callaway, will accompany Speaks on his trip.

CROSS VISITING

Fordyce safety-receiver Gary Cross, 6-2, 190 pounds, is expected to take an official visit to Arkansas this weekend. Cross was named to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas team, and it appears Arkansas will place him at a junior college with the hopes of signing him later. LINEMAN READY

Highly recruited offensive lineman Frank Ragnow of Victoria (Minn.) Chanhassen will announce this afternoon where he will attend college. Ragnow, 6-6, 291 pounds, 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has narrowed his list to Arkansas, Florida State and Minnesota. His decision is expected to be revealed on the Twitter account of the school’s athletic department. WAITING ON MIKE

Offensive lineman Andrew Mike of Tucson (Ariz.) Sabino will announce his college decision Monday.

Mike, 6-7, 275 pounds, 5.05 seconds in the 40-yard dash,will choose between Arkansas, Penn State, Florida and Vanderbilt, where he will take an official visit this weekend.

National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Mike a fourstar prospect. The lineman has more than 20 scholarship offers, and he took an official visit to Arkansas on Jan. 17.

TWO DROPPED

Arkansas is no longer counting Geismar (La.) Dutchtown receivers Torrance Mosley and Corey Mc-Bride as commitments, and they will not sign with Arkansas. Both said in text messages that Arkansas had some academic eligibility concerns.

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.comArkansas commitments list

2014 ORAL COMMITMENTS

DE ANTHONY BROWN

6-3 1/2, 235, Miami Killian

WR JARED CORNELIUS*

6-1, 190, 4.48, Shreveport Evangel

RB JUAN DAY

6-2, 210, 4.5, North Little Rock

WR KENDRICK EDWARDS 6-6, 200, 4.6, Miami Norland

LB DWAYNE EUGENE 6-2, 220, 4.5, Metairie (La.) Rummel

CB CORNELIUS FLOYD

6-1, 175, 4.48, Miami Gulliver Prep

LB KHALIA HACKETT

6-2, 208, 4.63, Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding

DE JAKE HALL

6-5, 230, Springdale Har-Ber

K COLE HEDLUND

5-10, 170, Argyle, Texas

DL BIJHON JACKSON

6-2, 325, 5.1, El Dorado

TE JACK KRAUS

6-5, 240, 4.9, Bentonville

ATH. JOSH LIDDELL

6-1, 198, 4.43, Dollarway

CB CHRIS MURPHY*

5-10, 180, 4.4, Marietta (Ga.) Lassiter

QB RAFE PEAVEY*

6-2, 208, 4.5, Bolivar, Mo.

OL JOVAN PRUITT

6-6, 295, 5.1, Dallas Bishop Dunne

DB SANTOS RAMIREZ

6-2, 180, 4.55, Shreveport (La.) Evangel

LB RANDY RAMSEY

6-3, 210, 4.57, Ft. Lauderdale Dillard

CB HENRE TOLIVER

6-1, 180, 4.56, Metairie (La.) Rummel

OL BRIAN WALLACE

6-6, 304, 5.2, St Louis Christian Brothers

DL ARMON WATTS

6-5, 270, 5.1, St. Louis Christian Brothers

SIGNED

WR CODY HOLLISTER

6-4, 205, 4.5, Arizona Western CC

OL SEBASTIAN TRETOLA

6-4 1/2, 315, 4.9, Iowa Western CC

2015 ORAL COMMITMENTS

DE-TE JAMARIO BELL

6-6, 230, 4.7, Junction City

DE HJALTE FROHOLDT

6-5, 275, Denmark

OL COLTON JACKSON

6-6, 291, Conway

OL ZACH ROGERS

6-3, 295, 5.09, Carrollton (Texas)

Hebron

QB TY STOREY

6-3, 217, 4.92, Charleston

*Has signed an Institutional Financial Aid

Agreement and enrolled.

Sports, Pages 24 on 01/31/2014