Hog Futures: Hjalte Froholdt

Great Dane gets to size things up

Arkansas defensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt tries to fight through the line during the 2015 Red-White game Saturday, April 25, 2015, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- When Hjalte Froholdt was growing up in Denmark and decided he wanted to be a foreign-exchange student in the United States, he figured playing football would ease the transition.

"The whole idea was for him to try something they do in America," said Hans Froholdt, Hjalte's father. "We thought playing football would help him make friends.

At a glance

CLASS Freshman

POSITION Defensive tackle

HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-5, 311 pounds

HOMETOWN Svendborg, Denmark

HIGH SCHOOL IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.

AGE 18 (born Aug. 20, 1996)

NOTEWORTHY Name is pronounced Yell-duh Fro-holt. … Attended Warren (Ohio) Harding High School as an foreign exchange student as a sophomore and played football well enough as a defensive lineman and tight end to gain recruiting attention from many major colleges. … Chose Arkansas over numerous offers, including Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan and Notre Dame. … Enrolled at Arkansas in January and finished spring practice listed as a second-team defensive tackle on the depth chart. … Played football in Denmark as a high school junior, then played as a senior at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and had 55 tackles, including 10 sacks.

"Then he turned out to be very good at it."

Froholdt became so good at playing football as a sophomore at Warren (Ohio) Harding High School -- particularly as a defensive lineman -- that some of the people wanting to be his friends included coaches from the nation's top college programs.

Among the teams offering him scholarships were Arkansas, Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Penn State.

"I didn't know football was so big in America, but I figured it out once all these coaches started to want to talk to my son," said Hans Frodholdt, who runs a business ferrying passengers between Denmark and Sweden. "So I jumped on a plane and came over to America to find out what was going on."

Hjalte and Hans Froholdt traveled to several schools and said they enjoyed each visit, but that Arkansas stood out.

"I didn't grow up with a favorite team, so I took all my visits with a neutral mind-set, and I just loved it when we came to Arkansas," Hjalte Froholdt said. "It was a feeling I had about how I connected with the coaches, the players, the facilities and the campus.

"Everything has been the way the coaches said it would be. I love it so far."

Froholdt committed to Arkansas in early December 2013 after he played as a high school junior in Denmark. He played as a senior at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., then enrolled at Arkansas in January and finished spring practice listed as a second-team defensive tackle.

"We brought Hjalte in because we feel like he's good enough to play right now," Arkansas defensive line coach Rory Segrest said. "He's coming along really good.

"From a technique standpoint, he has a ways to go, but he's a big, powerful guy. Once he understands how to use his body, he's going to make a lot more progress."

Arkansas freshman center Zach Rogers went against Froholdt during spring practice.

"Most people might think, 'He's from Denmark, what could he know about football?' " Rogers said. "But he's a pretty dang good football player.

"He's not going to give in to anything. He seems to understand the game and knows how to react to what an offensive lineman is doing that makes it harder for us. It's like he knows what you're going to do and has a counter move already."

Froholdt, 6-5 and 311 pounds, got some first-team reps in the spring and in goal-line work was matched against offensive linemen Denver Kirkland and Sebastian Tretola.

"He got a little high and Tretola and Denver took him for a ride," Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said. "A lot of times kids will kind of flinch at that, but Hjalte came back the next day as determined as ever."

Froholdt said going against Arkansas' starting offensive linemen has helped him improve.

"Those are some humongous human beings," he said. "You've got to play perfect to have any chance to defeat them."

Froholdt said he was surprised to come out of spring practice as a second-teamer, but said he's not taking it for granted.

"You've got to work hard every day to keep your spot, because that room is filled with talent," he said. "I know I've got to keep getting better.

"I'm trying to work a lot on pass rush. Defending the run seems a little easier to me."

Froholdt said some of the experienced defensive linemen, especially senior DeMarcus Hodge, have helped him transition to playing for the Razorbacks.

"They know the movements a lot better, they flow more," Froholdt said. "Sometimes I'm a little robotic, a little stiff in my movements, but they've helped me with that."

Hodge said he has been impressed by Froholdt's progress.

"Honestly, when he first got here I thought he was from Florida," Hodge said. "I don't know what kind of football they play over there in Denmark, but he's pretty good.

"You can see he loves to play the game."

Froholdt said he's looking to make big gains physically this summer working with Arkansas strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert.

"Whatever he says, it makes me want to go and lift weights and do sprints,' " Froholdt said.

Hans Froholdt said it's not easy having his son so far from home -- 4,738 miles -- but said he he feels comfortable having him play for Bielema.

"We met all the head coaches where we visited and they were very nice people, but Bret Bielema had something special about him, the way he made you feel," Hans Froholdt said. "You feel like he'll take good care of your boy and that no matter what happens, Coach Bielema will be there."

Sports on 07/05/2015