MIAMI — Arkansas linebackers coach Randy Shannon is back at his alma mater, Miami Norland and is recruiting two teammates and the Hogs look to be in good shape.
Linebacker Rayshad Jackson and defensive back Carlton Davis are scheduled to officially visit Fayetteville Jan. 17, according to Jackson.
“I want to see the atmosphere and I want to see how they educate their players and see if they can help me,” said Jackson, who received his first scholarship offer from Arkansas on Oct. 7. “I want good learning environment.”
Jackson, 6-1, 205. 4.58 seconds in the 40 yard dash, is also drawing interest from Miami, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Florida Atlantic and Florida International. His former teammate and Razorback freshman receiver Kendrick Edwards likes life in Fayetteville.
“He told me it was great up there,” Jackson said. “I asked him if it had a sort of a Miami vibe and he said kind of has a Miami vibe.”
Davis, 6-2, 183, 4.47 seconds in the 40 yard dash, committed to Ohio State in August but is paling other visits in addition to Arkansas and Columbus. He’s also planning visits to Texas, Miami and South Florida.
He’s uncertain what it will take to get him away from the Buckeyes.
“Ohio State has stayed strong with me,” Davis said. “It would probably have to be more of a home there. Just something….to be honest I really can’t say what things that would take me away. It just has to happen, I just have to know.”
Davis has more than 25 scholarship offers, including Arkansas, Ohio State, Texas, Miami, LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
Norland finished in a three-way tie with Miami Carol City and Miami Northwestern for the remaining playoff spot in District 16-6A. Norland played Carol City for the right to play Northwestern for the spot.
In Dade County, teams play one quarter games to decide who advances. Carol City defeated Norland 6-0 on Nov. 3. Obviously disappointed, Davis still took time to talk to the media afterwards.
“It’s always disappointing when you put your heart out on the field, not just one game but all season and for your season to go down like this it’s a disappointing feeling,” Davis said. “But it’s something you just have to deal with. I can’t come out here to the press and wear my feelings on my sleeve. I just have to be a good sport about it and keep going.”
Jackson said Shannon talks more about life than football.
“He talks about life a lot, because after college I’ll be living my life and if the NFL doesn’t work out ,I need a backup plan,” Jackson said.
Jackson said receiving his first offer from Arkansas caught him off guard.
“It did, because I didn’t know if I was going to get an SEC offer,” Jackson said. “I thought I would start out with a FAU offer and move up.”
Davis, who has a 3.4 grade point average, was thinking of majoring in Sociology, but is having second thoughts.
“I was looking to getting into a couple of fields, but after talking to different people there’s not much to get into,” said Davis of Sociology.”I might minor in sociology and major in business and kind of work my way around that.”
He plans to have a final decision after taking his visits.
“I’m not going to wait until signing day, but after my visits are done I’ll have a decision,” Davis said.