Arkansas was hoping to impress running back target Devwah Whaley during his official visit over the weekend, and they did just that.
Whaley, the No. 3-rated running back and the No. 49 overall prospect in the nation according to ESPN, had narrowed his list of more than 20 scholarship offers to Arkansas, Georgia and Texas before the visit.
"It was amazing, just coming in here and experiencing everything I experienced," Whaley said. "Arkansas is definitely my No. 1 school right now. Just the impact of playing right away has a big influence on me. What I'm going to do is just go home, talk to my parents and go from there."
He explained what stood out about the trip.
"Just the environment, the people, the home feeling I get from being here. It just feels like home away from home," Whaley said.
Whaley, 6-0, 209 pounds, 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Beaumont (Texas) Central, rushed 228 times for 1,701 yards and 23 touchdowns this season.
With Arkansas running backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins expected to leave for the NFL Draft after this season, Whaley said he sees the opportunity for immediate playing time with the Razorbacks.
"Rawleigh [Williams], that's pretty much all they really have [returning] and he's been hurt, so it's a big opportunity to come in and play right away," Whaley said.
Whaley's explosiveness and great speed (10.60 seconds in the 100 meters) give him big playmaking ability and the burst to outrun angles. He rushed 172 times for 1,225 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior for the Class 5A Jaguars.
Whaley, who has a 3.5 grade point average, said he liked Arkansas' new academic facility and Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema's focus on his players graduating.
"The new facility they built, it's great," Whaley said. "Academics are really stressed here a lot. Coach B does a great job of stressing academics."
He officially visited Georgia and Texas A&M earlier in the season and he said he has plans to make an official visit Texas in December. On Sunday, Whaley indicated he might decide on a school soon.
"Yeah, I might be close to a decision, but I still have one more visit," Whaley said. "Like I said, I'll just go home, talk to my parents and go from there."
Jonathan Williams and Rawleigh Williams were his Arkansas player hosts for the weekend.
"We just got to hang out and got to know each other better," Whaley said. "I got to meet some of the other players, too, so it was pretty cool."
Whaley, who communicates with Bielema, defensive backs coach Clay Jennings and running backs coach Jemal Singleton, praised the entire coaching staff.
"They're great coaches," he said. "Everybody on the coaching staff is great coaches, and they're great people. Just being around them is a great feeling."
Arkansas' 51-50 loss to Mississippi State last Saturday didn't faze Whaley, he said.
"It was a good game," Whaley said. "Obviously I thought they should have won, but stuff like that happens."
'Fans are crazy'
Arkansas commitments Deon Edwards and Hayden Johnson also made official visits over the weekend.
Edwards, 6-1, 195 pounds, of Clermont (Fla.) Lake Minneola, is a head hunter in the secondary and could give the Razorbacks one of the more physical safeties they've had in years.
He enjoyed hanging out with Johnson, 6-3, 245, 4.8, a fullback from Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge, as well as Devwah Whaley, a running back from Beaumont, Texas.
"We all had a good time," Edwards said. "There was a lot to show. They showed me a lot. They played a great game against Mississippi State. That was one of the best games I've ever seen with both putting up 50-something points each. They lost, but they played hard so that's what matters."
Edwards picked the Hogs over scholarship offers from schools like South Carolina, Missouri, Louisville, North Carolina State and several others. He recorded 79 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups and an interception this season.
"The fans are crazy," Edwards said, " They showed the football team so much love. The love they should was a big part of me coming here."
Edwards' older brother, Ishmeal Aristead, who played safety at Purdue, accompanied him on the trip. Edwards said he's ready to compete for playing time next year.
"I wouldn't say I'm going to start as a freshman," said Edwards, whose lead recruiter at Arkansas is defensive coordinator Robb Smith. "I would love to start as a freshman. I am going to try my best to do what I can do. Wherever I end up is where I end up."
Arkansas freshman defensive lineman T.J. Smith, who's from Georgia, hosted Edwards.
"He told me motivational things that will keep me going," Edwards said. "I was afraid coming here from Florida. He was like, 'Hey, I love it down here and never want to go home.' "
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 11/24/2015