The Recruiting Guy

Arkansas LB commitment a wanted man

Arkansas receivers coach Michael Smith answers questions during the Razorbacks' annual media day on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015, at Fred W. Smith Center in Fayetteville.

Shortly after outside linebacker Josh Paul committed to Arkansas on Wednesday, De La Salle Coach Ryan Manale was bombarded with calls.

“My phone has been blowing up with different coaches and colleges asking me if he really did commit,” Manale said.

Paul, 6-2, 205, 4.76 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of New Orleans De La Salle chose the Hogs over scholarship offers from Ole Miss, Kansas State, Purdue, Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech, Tulane and others. He visited Fayetteville on June 11.

“They’re getting a player that was definitely wanted,” said Manale, who noted that Paul had 32 offers. “He’s really under the radar because he’s a kid that has never really done the camps and 7-on-7s and stuff like that.”

Manale said LSU showed strong interest.

“LSU tried to get him to camp, and he just didn’t go,” Manale said. “I was in contact with them multiple times to get him up there.”

Paul stayed away from camps for a reason.

“We lost a couple of key players and seniors,” Paul said. “We lost like eight players last year because they wanted to do camps.”

He didn’t report most of his 32 offers.

“I didn’t post any of them,” Paul said. “I really wasn’t focusing on that. I was focusing on my senior year and trying to be a good example for the incoming players and the players after that.”

Paul recorded 43 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 7 sacks and 2 defensive touchdowns as a junior and was named to New Orleans Advocate All-Area first-team for classes 3A, 2A and 1A.

“They’re getting a player with plenty of upside,” Manale said. “His weight isn’t where it needs to be, but in a year you’ll see him gain 25 to 35 pounds of muscle at Arkansas.

“As much as he loves the weight room, he hasn’t been able to hit year around with basketball and summer basketball. He was a year-round basketball player his eighth-grade, ninth-grade, 10th-grade years. This is the first summer that he’s working out rather than playing basketball.”

Manale said Paul talked to him about committing to the Razorbacks.

“He really connected to Coach Michael Smith and felt very comfortable and didn’t see any reason for him to go anywhere else,” Manale said.