Even before today's 2:30 p.m. kickoff against UTEP, the Razorbacks could already have a big victory tucked away in terms of recruiting.
Hope defensive end McTelvin Agim (6-foot-3, 270 pounds), arguably the best defensive prospect the state has produced in a couple of decades and the ninth-best overall player in the nation per ESPN.com, will announce his college choice at 2 p.m.
Agim, who was born in Dallas, will do so at a family reunion at his grandmother's house in Texarkana, Texas, and announce from a Final Four of Arkansas, Baylor, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.
"I have been so impressed with how he has handled this and how mature he has been throughout the process," Hope coach Jay Turley said. "He's been very humble about the process, very considerate with all the coaches who have recruited him and very upfront with the coaches at his final four schools.
"He's ready to get it over with. He knows where he wants to go and he is ready to announce that and start helping that program recruit the rest of the class."
He is also very focused on helping his Bobcats try and win a state championship.
Agim is coming off a monster junior season in which he had 72 tackles, 22 sacks, 13 passes batted down, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Those stats and a starring performance at Nike's "The Opening" this summer earned him a five-star rating on ESPN.com and a four-star nod by the other major services.
"He's really good already, but he is just scratching the surface of his potential right now," Turley said. "He's already a freak in high school, but he is on his way to being a freak in college and certainly has a chance to be a big-time NFL player down the line."
Agim is not only a star on the field, but also in the classroom. He will be a mid-term graduate at Hope that will be able to go through spring practice at the college of his choice.
"He will already have 13 hours of college credit by the time he enrolls in college," Turley said. "That means that by the summer he will already be a sophomore before he plays his first college football game.
"He has a plan to graduate in three years with a college degree and head onto the NFL, and he has certainly put himself in position to do that."
Arkansas currently has 13 commitments in a 2016 class that will include somewhere between 18 and 22 players according to Razorback coach Bret Bielema.
Adding Agim to the defensive tackle pledges Arkansas has already secured from Star City's Austin Capps (6-4, 305) and Metairie (La.) Archbishop's Briston Guidry (6-3, 280) would be huge for the Razorbacks' future.
"I think what sets him apart is how he has handled the process with the coaches," Turley said. "He has college goals and life goals and has been very upfront about his choice.
"He called all the coaches that were not in his final four and shared his appreciation for them recruiting him as hard as they did. Now he's ready to let the fan base of that school now and they are going to be getting a great player and a great person."
Dudley E. Dawson is the recruiting editor for Hawgs Illustrated magazine.
Sports on 09/05/2015