Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and his staff expect to sign at least 14 football prospects to national letters of intent today and hope to add a few more.
The Razorbacks have signed seven prospects to financial aid agreements and one junior college prospect to a national letter of intent. All of them enrolled in January.
Haynesville, La., linebacker Kendrick Jackson, 6-0, 240 pounds, 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash, became the latest recruit to commit to the Razorbacks when he announced Tuesday on Twitter that he planned to sign with Arkansas.
Arkansas is awaiting word from several others.
Junior college receiver Dominique Reed, 6-3, 185, 4.36, of Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, will choose between Arkansas, Auburn, Arizona State or Texas during a 10 a.m signing ceremony at Camden Fairview High School. He played high school football for Camden Fairview.
Houston Westfield offensive tackle Toby Weathersby, 6-5, 290, 5.0, has narrowed his decision to LSU or Arkansas. He appears to be leaning toward the Tigers. Safety Brandon Scott, 6-0, 190, of Destrehan, La., is expected to sign with Arkansas or Central Florida.
The Hogs hope safety Willie Sykes, 6-0, 174, 4.46, of Spring, Texas, will switch from his oral commitment to Nebraska. Arkansas extended an offer Saturday.
North Little Rock receiver K.J. Hill, who originally orally committed to Arkansas before backing off the pledge, will choose between Ohio State, Alabama and Arkansas during a 9 a.m. ceremony at the school. He is expected to choose the Buckeyes or Crimson Tide.
Running back Rawleigh Williams III, 5-10, 198, 4.51, of Dallas Bishop Lynch, switched his commitment from Ole Miss to the Hogs last June. Oklahoma State recently offered him a scholarship but appeared to have no impact on Williams' pledge in large part because of his relationship with Arkansas running backs coach Joel Thomas.
"Me and Coach Thomas have had a relationship since, I think, my sophomore year, and even during the tough junior season, he stayed on me," Williams said. "That means a lot to me, that he really wanted me that bad."
Williams said he expects to have about 30 family members for his 9 a.m signing ceremony at his school.
"Ever since I was a little kid, I think when I was 5, I always wanted to play college ball," Williams said. "It's going to be so surreal that it's finally going to be set in stone that's what I'm going to do."
Three of the Hogs' early signees are offensive linemen: Joshua Allen, 6-3, 302, 5.0, of Jacksonville (Fla.) University Christian; Jalen Merrick, 6-5, 310, 5.21, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; and Zach Rogers, 6-2, 295, 5.06, of Carrollton (Texas) Hebron.
Highly touted tight end Will Gragg, 6-4, 247, 4.8, of Dumas, and quarterback Ty Storey, 6-3, 210, 4.7, of Charleston, also signed early with the Hogs.
Four of the early enrollees on the offensive side are rated four-star prospects by CBS Sports Network national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, with Gragg is rated as a four-star-plus recruit. Lemming also rates Williams as a four-star recruit.
Receiver Deon Stewart, 6-1, 163, 4.48, of Highland, is rated a three-star-plus recruit. He is scheduled to sign with Arkansas at 10:30 a.m. today. Tight end C.J. O'Grady, 6-4, 230, 4.8, of Fayetteville, is slated to sign during a noon ceremony at the school, and tight end Austin Cantrell, 6-3 1/2, 245, 4.58, of Roland, Okla., is scheduled to sign at 11:30 a.m.
Lemming rates O'Grady a four-star-plus prospect, and Cantrell is rated a three-star-plus recruit.
"I've accomplished what I set out to do," Cantrell said of signing to play college football. "After my freshman season is when I realized I had a pretty good chance."
Oklahoma tried to sway Cantrell away from Arkansas and offered him a scholarship about a month after he committed to the Razorbacks, but it didn't work.
"When I decided to commit to Arkansas, I meant what I said," Cantrell said. "I gave them my word, and that's what I go by."
Another four-star prospect, Conway offensive lineman Colton Jackson, 6-6, 304, 5.3, is scheduled to sign during a 2:25 p.m. ceremony at the school.
Fort Smith Northside defensive lineman Daytrieon Dean, 6-3, 255 4.89; defensive end Hjalte Foholdt, 6-5, 290, of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy; and defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter, 6-4, 270, 4.72, of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, all signed early and are enrolled at Arkansas.
Lemming rates Dean and Froholdt as four-star recruits. He doesn't rate junior college prospects.
Cornerback Nate Dalton, 6-3, 195, 4.50, of Houston Cypress Falls, is scheduled to sign at 1:30 p.m. today; and cornerback Ryan Pulley, 6-1, 195 4.39, of Cape Coral (Fla.) Island Coast, is slated to sign at 6:30 p.m. Central; and defensive end T.J. Smith, 6-3, 260, 4.89, of Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County, is expected to sign at 8 a.m. Central. All three are rated as three-star prospects.
Linebacker Derrick Graham, 6-4, 225, 4.56, of Wauchula (Fla.) Hardee, is a three-star-plus prospect. He is scheduled to sign at 7:30 a.m. Central.
Fayetteville's Dre Greenlaw, 6-1, 212, 4.53, is in Arlington, Texas, for Saturday's International Bowl but is expected to sign sometime this morning. He could play safety or linebacker at Arkansas and is rated a three-star prospect.
JaMario Bell, 6-6, 250, 4.7, of Junction City, and LaMichael Pettway, 6-3, 200, 4.47, of Nashville, are expected to sign at 10:30 a.m. and 8 a.m, respectively. Bell could play tight end or defensive end and is rated a four-star-plus athlete, and Pettway could play receiver or safety and is a four-star prospect.
Punter Blake Johnson, 6-1, 190, of Los Alamitos, Calif., is scheduled to sign at 10 a.m. Central. He's rated a three-star prospect.
Sports on 02/04/2015