After visiting Arkansas on Saturday, highly regarded running back Ronald Jones II has the Razorbacks as one of his top schools.
“It puts Arkansas up there,” said Jones, who’s being recruited by running backs coach Joel Thomas. “They’re definitely in my top five right now.
Jones, 6-0, 185, 4.41 seconds in the 40 yard dash, of McKinney, (Texas) McKinney North is one of the more electrifying running back prospects in the nation with outstanding speed that allows him to outrun defenders with angles. He revealed his thinking on other top schools.
“Probably Baylor and OU for sure, and maybe Clemson and Miami,” Jones said.
Jones rushed 244 times for 2,406 yards, 9.86 yard average a carry and 39 touchdowns and was voted by the coaches the MVP of the All-District 13-4A. He has 22 scholarship offers, including Arkansas, Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma, Baylor, Oklahoma State and TCU.
He said attending Arkansas’ 87-75 victory over Georgia in Bud Walton Arena was one of the highlights of his visit.
“Probably the basketball game and seeing the fans support the team,” he said. “That was fun.”
Jones and his mother, Jackie Dockery-Jones got in-depth look at the Hogs.
“I got a chance to see the dorms and I got to go into the stadium and all that,”Jones said. “I got to be one-on-one with coach B. I got the full course I guess.”
His mother liked the educational side of the visit.
“She liked the academics,” Jones said. “It showed they were involved with the players.”
Prior to the trip, Jones said Arkansas’ track record of sending running backs like Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Knile Davis to the NFL helped his interest in the Hogs.
“They’ve shown they can get running backs to the NFL,” said Jones in an earlier interview. “That’s ultimately my main goal.
Saturday’s trip has him ready to come back for Arkansas’ spring game on April 26.
“Oh yeah, I’ll be there,” Jones said.
Jones, who ran the 100 meters in 10.92 seconds and the 200 meters in 21.94 last summer, also liked Fayetteville.
“I could tell they have strong fan support,” Jones said. “The fans are crazy there.”