THE RECRUITING GUY

Arkansas catches eye of Louisiana prospects

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.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas hosted two defensive linemen from Louisiana on Tuesday and made a strong case in trying to land them.

Troy James, 6-3, 276 pounds, and Bryan Jones, 6-5, 248, of Baton Rouge Madison Prep Academy, have approximately 20 scholarship offers each.

James added an offer from the Hogs during the visit to go along with offers from North Carolina State, Wake Forest, Indiana, Kansas and others. Arkansas is in good shape after the trip.

"Their chances went up sky high," said James, who is looking to make an official visit to Fayetteville for the Alabama game on Oct. 8. "This was the offer I was really waiting on. They were already No. 1 on my list because it's every kid's dream to play in the SEC."

Being in LSU's backyard, James said Arkansas beating the Tigers the past two seasons -- 17-0 in Fayetteville and 31-14 in Baton Rouge -- was big to him.

"That got my attention a lot because I've always known LSU to beat Arkansas," James said. "So when Arkansas turns around and beats LSU two years straight, including Death Valley, it really caught my attention because I know something is up at Arkansas."

James, who is similar in size to Razorback starting defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter, is being recruited to play inside.

"The want me to play ... as a three-technique because of my body frame," James said.

Receivers coach Michael Smith has gained commitments from three Louisiana prospects for the 2017 class, and if they end up signing, it would give him 12 Louisiana signees since 2014.

"He's a great guy," James said. "He just loves the city and he wants us to come up and take over the boot when LSU plays Arkansas."

Jones, who's committed to Ole Miss, is a defensive end with other offers from Arizona State, Nebraska, Mississippi State, Miami, Texas and others while Arkansas is showing strong interest.

"It was very nice, everybody treats you like family around there," Jones said of Arkansas. "It's a great environment ... some great coaches."

He said the trip was an eye-opener.

"I thought Arkansas was a boring environment until I saw it," Jones said.

Jones said he had mixed emotions while driving up Interstate 49, but that changed after topping the hill that overlooks Fayetteville.

"I saw the mountains and I thought it was going to be a little country town, and we came over the mountains and you see the opening and you can see the stadium," Jones said.

Arkansas' facilities were another surprise to him.

"They were nice top-of-the-line," Jones said.

He also thinks highly of Smith.

"Straight up, straightforward, nice guy," Jones said. "He's a very funny guy too."

ALL THE ATTRIBUTES

If there was a physically most impressive award for Arkansas' three-day camp June 19-21, linebacker Christopher Allen would've won it hands down.

Allen, of Baton Rouge Southern University Lab, measured 6-3 and weighed in at 228 pounds.

He turned heads by running the 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds during testing last Sunday. That run, and his performance the other two days earned him a scholarship offer from the Hogs.

ESPN rates him the nation's No. 7 outside linebacker and No. 119 overall prospect.

"It's nice, the coaches are great," Allen said of his Arkansas experience. "They're real intense. I like it."

Allen has about 20 other offers, including schools like LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Texas, Miami and others. He said the Tigers and Crimson Tide are two schools standing out.

He said he's considering the Hogs for one of his five official visits.

"The landscape is different here with a lot of hills and mountains," Allen said. "It's nice up here."

The facilities were top-notch, Allen said.

"A-I," Allen said. "They look like they were just built."

Allen left the camp with a few tips from linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves that Allen said he plans to use this upcoming season.

"He's a real intense guy," Allen said. "He showed me this new technique that teaches you how to cover a running back or tight end."

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 06/26/2016