While on the road recruiting during Arkansas' recent bye week, defensive backs coach Clay Jennings made sure to stop by Beaumont (Texas) Central in Texas to check on junior running back Devwah Whaley.
ESPN rates Whaley the No. 9 running back and the No. 110 overall prospect in the nation in the 2016 class. He has 14 scholarship offers, including Arkansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, TCU and Ole Miss.
"I want to get up for a visit," Whaley said of Arkansas. "My interest level is pretty high because they run the ball."
Whaley, 5-11, 196, 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has rushed 172 times for 1,225 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Class 5A Jaguars.
He said Jennings has told him early playing time can be had at Arkansas.
"They have a lot going for them and in the future there's a good chance I can get early playing time," Whaley said. "The running backs they have now, Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins, they'll be gone."
Arkansas' pro-style rushing attack is attractive to Whaley.
"You'll be able to be yourself more and be able to put up more stats and yardage than most other backs on the college level because of the offense they run," he said.
Whaley's ability on the football field is enhanced by his speed of 10.68 seconds in the 100 meters. He also competes in the 200 meters, 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays, along with the long jump and triple jump.
As a freshman, Whaley participated in the Texas state meet and triple-jumped 45-11. He came back strong in the spring by placing fifth behind four seniors with a jump of 47-8. He's determined to do better in next spring's state meet.
"My goal this year is to hit 50 [feet]," said Whaley, whose father was a middle-distance runner and mother was a sprinter at Brigham Young University.
Whaley, who has bests of 21.9 seconds in the 200 and 23-1 in the long jump, said he might triple jump in college.
"There's a chance, I have to think about it," Whaley said. "There's a chance I might end up doing track as well. The only thing I would concentrate on would be the triple jump if I was to do track."
He has a 3.4 grade-point average and is considering kinesiology or business management as majors in college. Academics will be one of three factors in his college decision.
"The environment and the coaching staff is the most important to me," Whaley said.
Georgia prospect visited
Marietta (Ga.) Sprayberry defensive end Jabari Zuniga didn't know when he began English classes as a junior that the class would eventually lead him from the basketball court to the gridiron.
"He's only played football for two years," said Sprayberry quarterback coach Coleman Joiner. "He was a basketball kid that actually had our D-line coach as an English teacher and I think our D-line coach just bugged him enough that I think he played football just to get him to shut up. I think it worked out for both parties there."
Zuniga, 6-3, 260, 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has seen his stock go up and has accumulated approximately 20 scholarship offers, including Minnesota, Kansas State, Iowa State, Illinois, North Carolina State and Arkansas State.
Coach Bret Bielema and defensive line coach Rory Segrest visited the school during the bye week and the Hogs may extend an offer in the near future. Segrest also visited the school during the spring evaluation period.
"When they first saw him in the spring they said they really saw him as an interior guy," Joiner said. "But after seeing some film this year and seeing how explosive he is off the edge, they said they had no doubt they could see him playing at the end and being a rush guy."
Being an offensive coach, Joiner said Zuniga is tough to practice against.
"He has real long arms, his wing span is like 6-6 to 6-7," Joiner said. "If he gets his hands on you, you're pretty much done."
Joiner said Zuniga gave teammate and offensive lineman Bailey Sharp, an Auburn commitment and an Under Armour All-American, all he could handle in practice.
"They battled every single day in practice and Bailey had trouble blocking him most of the time," Joiner said.
Zuniga is likely not done growing, Joiner said.
"He's only 16. He should be a junior by age," Joiner said. "So I still think he'll grow another inch to an inch and a half."
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 11/16/2014