FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas will be losing four senior wide receivers at the end of the 2016 season and is looking to the junior college ranks for immediate help.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College standout Brandon Martin (6-4, 217), a one-time LSU signee and the nation’s top junior college receiver in some rankings, took an official visit to check out the Razorbacks this weekend.
Martin, whose host was injured Arkansas cornerback Kevin Richardson, had 23 catches for 327 yards and four touchdowns this season and will have three years of eligibility at his next stop.
“It is a great place,” Martin said. “I like the atmosphere. I like their players that I met. K-Rich was a real cool host. It is a nice place and they have a good academic center and that is why I really like this place.”
He was also impressed with Arkansas wide receivers coach Michael Smith.
“I like Coach Smith,” Martin said. “He is a real coach. He is going to keep it straight up with you.”
Martin, a New Orleans native who went to Deion Sanders’ Prime Prep Academy in Dallas, Texas to finish high school, is trying to refine his game.
“I am still working on my route running, getting it down better and coming out of my break,” Martin said. “The best thing that I do is my jumping ability, my speed and my quick hands.”
Martin has trips scheduled to Louisville right after Thanksgiving and the following weekend to Arizona State.
He also has offers from Florida, Georgia and Auburn, where he was committed for five days in July.
Martin is teammate with Arkansas wide receiver pledge Jonathan Nance and offensive lineman DeMarcus Hayes (6-5, 320) - who both visited Fayetteville officially last summer.
“He (Nance) was supposed to come on the visit with me, but he took his visit this summer,” Martin said. “He had a great year this year. He played on the same side sometimes so that made it harder for the defense to stop us.”
MGCCC was 5-5 this season with two losses to No. 2 East Mississippi, including a 27-24 decision in the playoffs that ended the season.
“I did alright,” Martin said. “I helped my team get to the playoffs and we lost by 3 points in the last game to East Mississippi. I put up some nice numbers this year.
“We played as a team for 60 minutes and we really practiced hard and that helped us stay in the game with East Mississippi.”
He was not deterred by the Razorbacks’ 38-10 loss to LSU on Saturday.
“I think they have a bright future and they don’t have to worry about the passing game because they have running backs that are really going to get the job done on the ground,” Martin said.