Highly regarded Hope junior defensive end McTelvin Agim continues to be impressed with Arkansas after attending the Georgia game in Little Rock on Saturday.
Agim, 6-3, 258, 4.68 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has 10 scholarship offers from schools like Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Stanford, Ole Miss, Clemson, Oklahoma and others. Video highlights CLICK HERE
“I feel like they’re miles from what people expected them to be,” Agim said. “They’ve been in close games with most of the top teams in the SEC. I feel like there’s much more to come. I feel like better days are coming to Arkansas.”
Prior to the game, he hung out on the sideline.
“I was able to talk to the coaches,” Agim said. “It was just really a cool experience. It was just like down-to-earth.”
Agim was impressed with defensive lineman Darius Philon’s intensity and play.
“He played with so much emotion and that really caught my eye,” Agim said. “I feel like I play with a lot of emotion. Sometimes I feel like I play with too much emotion.”
Agim recorded 77 tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 16 sacks last year and was named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sophomore Defensive Player of the Year.
Going into Friday's game against Hot Springs Lakeside, he had 24 unassisted tackles, 21 assisted tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 8 quarterback hurries, 5 sacks and 3 recovered fumbles.
He believes Philon’s drive to succeed will be felt even after he graduates.
“Even if he leaves, his presences will be felt in the locker room,” Agim said. “I could still be touched by what he did and people would expect me to play with the same emotion he did if I came to Arkansas. It’s just little things like that I was looking at.”
Agim has a list of schools he’s hoping to visit over the next month or so starting with Auburn this weekend. He’s looking to make a trip to Oklahoma on Nov. 8 and possibly Arkansas or Alabama for Nov. 15. Visits to Baylor Nov. 22. and Miss. St. for the Arkansas game on Nov. 1 are also possibilities.
He made several unofficial visits during the summer.
“Most of the coaches, I’ve already met them and seen the facilities,” he said. “So now, it’s knowing the people. That’s why I’m going to mostly home games and see how I would fit in with the program and see how the coaches coach.”