HOOVER, Ala. — One of Arkansas’ prized signees from its 2017 recruiting class is getting close to arriving on campus, but another defensive signee won’t make it until at least December.
Ashdown safety recruit Montaric Brown still has some work to do, but isn’t far from being able to head to Fayetteville in time for the start of fall camp after getting a qualifying ACT score in June, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said Monday at SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. He is working to complete an online class.
“He is so close that if that doesn’t happen here in the next couple weeks, I do foresee him being able to join us by the time school starts and at the worst maybe a January enrollment,” Bielema said. “But he’ll be with us sooner than later.”
Brown is one of the highest-rated recruits in the Razorbacks’ 2017 class. ESPN rates him a four-star prospect, the nation’s No. 12 safety prospect and the No. 185 overall player in his class.
Junior college defensive tackle signee Melvin Johnson was not listed on Arkansas’ newly released roster in its 2017 media guide and wasn’t able to qualify, Bielema said. The 6-foot-5, 285-pounder committed shortly before signing day, pledging to the Razorbacks on Jan. 31.
“Melvin is a little bit unique in the fact that he was a guy that was at a junior college that we were trying to progress where he could end up in a projection to get here a little earlier than maybe he anticipated,” Bielema said. “He will not make it by qualification standards, but he has a possibility of possibly joining us in December, depending on what he does.”