Fayetteville junior defensive lineman Akial Byers didn’t play as a sophomore, but he’s making up for lost time and has the attention of college recruiters.
Byers, 6-4, 260 pounds had transportation problems that caused him to miss last season. The issues have been resolved. He's added about 20 pounds to his frame and is making every practice. Video highlights CLICK HERE
“He worked extremely hard in the offseason,” Fayetteville Coach Daryl Patton said. “The kid can run, he doesn’t know how strong he can be. He’s really been playing well. In the first game, he caused havoc for the Lawton quarterback. He had a sack, two or three tackles for loss.”
Arkansas, Alabama, Florida State, Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Stanford, Michigan are the schools showing the most interest.
“Right now, he’s getting letters from every program in America every day,” Patton said. “I’m pretty much his personal secretary. He can be a big-time player if he keeps on the path he’s on now and keeps developing.”
As a freshman, Byers received a scholarship offer from Mississippi State after assistant Deshea Townsend mistook him for tight end C.J. O’Grady during offseason workouts.
“I get down there and Coach Townsend said 'Coach we love him.We want the kid', Patton said. "And I asked ‘Who are you talking about?’ and he said ‘C.J. O’Grady’. I said ‘C.J. isn’t here this morning’ and he goes ‘Who is that kid’ and I said ‘That’s Akial Byers, he’s a freshman. He’ll be a sophomore next year’.”
Patton said Byers, who attended an Arkansas camp this summer, plays basketball and hasn’t been timed in the 40 yard dash.
“He’s such a freak athletically, that I would say he’s probably in the 4.8s,” Patton said.
Fort Smith Northside avoided Byers, who’s playing the three technique.
“They were double teaming him and running on the perimeter, but when he was not in there they were running in between the tackles,” Patton said. “He’s a difference maker.”