FAYETTEVILLE — Arizona Western College head coach Tom Minnick has one future Arkansas player on his hands and could have a pair before all is said and done.
Matadors tight end Jeremy Patton (6-6, 248) committed to the Razorbacks on June 17th while cornerback Keisean Nixon (6-0, 200) is slated to make his decision public in the next month or so.
“They are both great young men who will be great players and great people in the community,” Minnick said. “Both of them are primed to have great seasons for us and then move on to their new schools after graduating in December.”
Patton, an Indianapolis native, chose Arkansas over Auburn, Ohio State, USC, Florida, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Louisville among others.
Minnick, who has two former tight ends in the NFL in E.J. Bibbs (Cleveland Browns) and Cameron Clear (Indianapolis Colts), thinks Patton may be the best one he has every had.
“We already have a pair of tight ends in the NFL, but Jeremy is on his way to be the best one we ever had,” Minnick said. “He is extremely athletic and does a great job catching the ball, but he also is a great blocker.
“That’s not bad for a guy who came here thinking he was going to be a wide receiver, but I saw a tight end in him and moved him there. He took coaching, hit the weight room and is now up to 245, 250.
“He has made himself into what I think is the best tight end in junior college football.”
Minnick thinks the marriage of Patton – who had 17 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns last season - and Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema is a great one.
“Jeremy did his research,” Minnick said. “He could have gone anywhere he wanted to, but he knows that Coach Bielema values the tight end so much in his offense and that he will flourish at Arkansas.
“It is so important that you make the right decision. Cameron Clear did not make the right decision in going to Texas A&M because they just didn’t use the tight end at all.”
Nixon, a Los Angeles native who has an aunt that lives in Fayetteville, has narrowed his list down to four school – Arkansas, California, Iowa State and Colorado State.
He had planned to make his decision known on Aug. 1, but that might not happened.
“I think he may not be ready to do it on Aug. 1 now, but he is another guy that really got in the weight room and made himself bigger, stronger, faster,” Minnick said.
Nixon had 36 tackles, 2 tackles for lost yardage, 5 interceptions, 4 pass break ups and 4 blocked kicks last season while also returning 9 kickoffs for 231 yards and 8 punts for 74 yards.
He is regarded as the nation’s top junior college defensive back and the seventh-best player overall by JUCO Football Frenzy.
“He is a dynamic player and someone that I think will make a great SEC cornerback if he does end up at Arkansas,” Minnick said. “We are very proud of how both of those young men have developed.”