The Recruiting Guy

Arkansas target inspired to help troubled kids

Offensive tackle Garett Bolles.

Arkansas offensive tackle target Garett Bolles has a soft heart for kids and hopes to help troubled youth overcome challenges by setting up a foundation sometime in the future.

Bolles, 6-5, 303 pounds, 4.87 seconds in the 40 yard dash, of Snow College in Utah has more than 20 scholarship offers from schools like Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Arizona State, Florida State, Oregon and Oklahoma.

He knows quite a bit about a difficult childhood. In high school, he became involved in drugs and alcohol while also hanging out with gangs and that eventually forced his father to remove him from the home.

“I was going down a rough path in high school,” Bolles said. “I was growing up and going in and out of jail and getting caught up in situations I couldn't get myself out of.”

Bolles’ life turned around when Greg Freeman, who was also Bolles’ lacrosse coach and neighbor, noticed him on the side of the road. Freeman called his wife, Emily and brought him home.

“He has a big heart,” Bolles said. “He’s actually like I am….and cares for people. He knew something was wrong so he threw my stuff in the back of the truck and took me home to his wife.”

The structure and love in the Freeman house changed Bolles’ ways.

“I was just devastated because I never really had a mom in my life and she told me she loved me and I’ll always be her child for the rest of her life,” Bolles said. “I’ve just been so grateful .They changed my life.”

Because of his background, he looks up to Carolina Panther offensive lineman Michael Oher, whose life story was told in a book and movie called Blind Side.

“That’s why Michael Oher is my hero,” said Bolles, who wears Oher's number 74.

Bolles hopes to inspire kids in a positive way.

“I love kids, I just think they’re just a great thing,” Bolles said. “The little kids are so innocence…. I just love how they’re always happy and so loving. I want to be there for them. I want to be a role model for little kids and lead them in the right directions so they don’t get caught up with gangs and don’t struggle for certain things. I want to serve as an example.”