Fort Smith Northside juniors Deontre Hardwick and Kiondre Thomas have known one another since second grade and hope to continue the friendship at Arkansas.
"We both want to go to Arkansas," said Thomas, who is being recruited as an athlete. "Basically if Arkansas offers, we'll both commit."
Thomas, 6-0, 170 pounds, 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash, is receiving interest from Arkansas, Mississippi State, Memphis and others.
Both participated and impressed at Arkansas' Elite camp last July. They plan to return this summer in hopes of earning scholarship offers from the Hogs.
"We always played with or against each other," said Hardwick, a linebacker. "It would be great for both of us to be on the same team just like in high school."
Hardwick, 6-1, 240, has a scholarship offer from Arkansas State and is drawing interest from Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, Louisville and others.
Thomas, who plans to visit Memphis on Feb. 28, Mississippi State on April 18 and Arkansas State in early April, was timed at 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash at TCU's camp and 4.44 at Arkansas' camps last summer.
He played cornerback for the Grizzlies but could play receiver or in the secondary in college.
"Memphis has been telling me they want me to play both ways," said Thomas, who returned 4 kickoffs for touchdowns and had 7 offensive touchdowns on 18 touches.
He said he plans to get stronger for next season after going up against North Little Rock receiver K.J. Hill in the playoffs.
"I'm trying to get bigger in the weight room, because going up against K.J. Hill in that last playoff game made me realize I need to get a little bit stronger," Thomas said. "Mississippi State wants me as a corner."
Minus the strength, Thomas felt he matched up well against Hill.
"I think I'm better than him athletically, but he had me strengthwise," said Thomas, who ran the pro shuttle in 4.18 seconds during the Hogs' camp.
He was named to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps second team after recording 59 tackles, 14 pass breakups and 5 interceptions, including 1 returned for a score. He also recovered a fumble for a score.
Thomas ran the 100 meters in 10.79 seconds last year but is optimistic he can do better this spring.
"I'm expecting a low 10.7 or a high 10.6," Thomas said.
He heard positive feedback from Arkansas defensive backs coach Clay Jennings during last year's camp.
"Coach Jennings told me to keep working because I was going to be a hell of a player one day," Thomas said.
Thomas is on a mission to impress the Razorbacks coaching staff.
"I just want to impress them enough to get an offer," Thomas said. "I'm going to go up there and run a 4.3. I'm going to try and do what I did last year but better."
Hardwick, who was named to Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Super Sophomore team, recorded 114 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 1 interception, 4 forced fumbles, 1 recovered fumble and 1 defensive touchdown this past season.
He's confident he can play at 240 pounds.
"As long as you can move and get to the ball without any trouble, it's fine," Hardwick said.
Tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. is Arkansas' lead recruiter for Thomas and Hardwick.
TEXAS OFFERS AGIM
Texas became the 14th school to extend a scholarship offer to Hope junior defensive end McTelvin Agim on Wednesday, and numerous others are likely on the way.
Agim, 6-3, 258, 4.62, received his first scholarship offer from Arkansas on Jan. 29, 2014. He also has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Stanford, LSU, Clemson, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Arkansas State and Washington State.
National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Agim a four-star-plus prospect and named him as a junior All-American.
He recorded a 315-pound bench press, a 325-pound power clean, a 405-pound squat, a 285-pound incline and ran the pro shuttle in 4.31 seconds during testing in January.
Agim visited LSU on Saturday and has plans to visit Arkansas on March 7 and is a prime candidate to receive an invite to The Opening, a prestigious summer event that features the nation's top prospects held at Nike Headquarters in Oregon.
E-mail Richard Davenport at
rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 02/22/2015