The first ever early signing period for college football begins today, and Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Chad Morris and his staff are expected to ink at least seven prospects.
The signing period ends Friday.
Seven future Hogs are expected to email or fax in their national letter of intents this morning. Morris will hold a news conference at 12:30 today to discuss the signees and the early signing period.
Quarterback commitment Connor Noland, 6-3, 208 pounds, of Greenwood was the first commitment for the 2018 class when he pledged to the Hogs in July 2016 over scholarship offers from Penn State, UCLA, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and others.
ESPN rates him a four-star prospect, the No. 14 pocket-passer and No. 243 overall.
Lifelong Razorbacks fan and linebacker Bumper Pool, 6-2, 220, 4.79 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Lucas, Texas, will have a noon signing ceremony at his school. National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming rates Pool a four-star prospect.
He chose the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Southern Cal, Alabama, TCU, LSU, Michigan, Texas A&M, Maryland, Oklahoma State and others.
Morris was able to flip the commitment of Ashdown cornerback Ladarrius Bishop from Mississippi State during a visit to a local restaurant in Ashdown on Dec. 10. He'll sign this morning and hold a signing ceremony at his school for the Feb. 7 signing day.
Bishop, 6-1, 190, 4.35, had scholarship offers from Florida, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Illinois, Iowa State and others. Rivals rates him a four-star prospect.
Springdale defensive lineman Isaiah Nichols, 6-3, 265, will sign with the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville at a 1:30 p.m. ceremony at the school today. He has 12 other scholarship offers from schools such as Missouri, North Carolina State, Indiana, Kansas, Memphis, Tulsa and others.
Defensive lineman Billy Ferrell, 6-3, 330, of Fordyce pledged to Morris and his staff on Sunday after making an official visit to Fayetteville. He will sign with the Hogs at 12:30 today over scholarship offers from Alabama, Tennessee, Louisville, Wisconsin, Memphis and others.
"It's a blessing, and I'm just excited and overwhelmed," Ferrell said. "It's an honor to be a part of what's going to be something great and to play for Coach Morris. He and his staff and their wives are such good people."
Receiver Mike Woods and offensive lineman Silas Robinson were committed to Morris and his staff at SMU, but they will sign with Arkansas after receiving offers from Morris after arriving in Fayetteville.
Woods, 6-2, 190, 4.43, of Magnolia, Texas, has more than 20 scholarship offers from Minnesota, Texas Tech, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Iowa State and others. He plans to ink with the Hogs during a 6:30 p.m. ceremony.
Robinson, 6-4, 315, of Yoakum, Texas, will sign early this morning. He had scholarship offers from SMU, Virginia, BYU, Rice, Army and Texas State.
"Glad to be a part of a great program in the best conference in the country, and also I just want to thank all the fans of Arkansas who have reached out to me," Robinson said. "They've been very great, and they make me and my family feel right at home."
Lemming rates Nichols, Ferrell, Woods and Robinson three-star prospects.
Jonesboro and Hogs offensive tackle commitment Noah Gatlin, 6-7, 300, 5.18, said he will wait until Feb. 7 to sign with a school.
Razorbacks commitment and Pulaski Academy offensive lineman Luke Jones, 6-5, 290, has decided to wait until Feb. 7. He and Gatlin officially visited the Hogs over the weekend.
North Carolina defensive end commitment Nick Fulwider will sign with the Tar Heels or Arkansas on Friday. He and his mother made an official visit to Fayetteville over the weekend.
Fulwider, 6-7, 245, 4.79, of Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek has more than 20 scholarship offers from schools such as Arkansas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, West Virginia and others.
Iowa Western Community College offensive lineman Noah Banks, 6-7, 300, committed to former coach Bret Bielema, but he will sign with Florida today. Morris, Joe Craddock and Dustin Fry met with Banks last week at his school and reconfirmed he still had an offer from the Hogs prior to him visiting Texas and the Gators.
Sports on 12/20/2017