Gooden, Williams pledges big-time for Arkansas

Emmit Gooden

— The significance of the past weekend for Arkansas football can’t be understated.

Not only did the Razorbacks have some 300 offensive and defensive linemen, kickers, punter and deep snappers on campus, but they also landed a much-needed piece for the present and a big one for the future.

The piece for the present came Friday night when former South Carolina graduate transfer tailback David Williams (6-1, 220) announced his pledge via Twitter. He will have immediate eligibility and replenishes a position that lost Rawleigh Williams III and Juan Day this spring.

The big get for the future was the Sunday commitment of Independence, Kan., Community College four-star defensive tackle Emmit Gooden (6-4, 320), who chose Arkansas over Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Tennessee, USC, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, Penn State, Louisville and a host of others.

Landing Gooden, the younger brother of former Mississippi State basketball star Jarvis Vanardo, was a huge get for Arkansas coach Bret Bielema and his staff.

“I liked the atmosphere and everything there and the way the coaches were with me,” Gooden said of Arkansas. “It just seemed like the perfect fit for me with coach B and everybody there.”

He enrolled in the fall of 2015 at Holmes, Miss., Community College - the same school from which Arkansas landed basketball star Daryl Macon - before ending up at Independence to play his freshman season in 2016.

Gooden, who had 55 tackles, 4 sacks and 2 forced fumbles for Independence as a freshman, fills a big need and is scheduled to graduate in December and arrive in Fayetteville in January.

Being able to go through off-season conditioning and spring practice will prepare him to make a big impact from day one of the 2018 season.

Gooden, who weighed 265 when he graduated from Brownsville, TN., in 2015, seems a perfect fit for the 3-4 defense that Arkansas is transitioning to this year.

“I’m able to play nose guard if I need to, or they can put me at one of the other spots up front,” Gooden said. “I can still move as fast as I could a year or two ago. I just got bigger.”

He became friends with Arkansas defensive end McTelvin “Sosa” Agim during the high school recruiting process and has noted that it was a factor in his pledging to the Razorbacks.

“He was a big factor, we’ve known one another for a couple of years,” Gooden said. “He just kept it real throughout the whole process. He didn't pressure me at all. I feel like he played a big role in this process. I look forward to teaming up with him and hopefully become some of the best defensive players to ever play at Arkansas.”

Gooden established his name and received many of his offers after a sophomore season when he had 70 tackles - including a whopping 32 for lost yardage - as a sophomore in high school.

He was one of the nation’s consensus top five strong side defensive ends in the 2015 recruiting class and had offers from Tennessee and Alabama, LSU, Penn State and a host of others.

Gooden committed to both Tennessee and Mississippi State during high school, but ended up enrolling in junior college when he didn’t achieve NCAA eligibility guidelines.

He will add to a defensive line of Agim, Austin Capps, Armon Watts, Michael Taylor, T.J. Smith, Briston Guidry, Jonathan Marshall, David Porter, Gabe Richardson and Melvin Johnson that should be a big-time strength for the Razorbacks.

Williams rushed 188 times for 794 yards and five touchdowns during his South Carolina career and had 56 carries for 239 yards and three touchdowns this season while playing in seven games.

The former ESPN four-star prospect who played his high school football for Philadelphia, PA, Imhotep Charter also showed the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield in college with 27 catches for 264 yards with a 59-yard catch and run against Clemson.

He played in the Semper Fidelis All-Star game and chose South Carolina over Ohio State, Auburn, Tennessee, Miami and others.

Williams will join a backfield that includes sophomores Dewah Whaley (110 carries, 602 yards) and true freshmen Chase Hayden and Maleek Williams, the latter whom went through spring practice.

David Williams, who was not contacted by Arkansas until Rawleigh Williams’ injury on the last day of spring practice ended his college career, is a solid addition to the running back ranks that had been thinned and was a concern.

He’s not likely to replace the production of Rawleigh Williams, who led the SEC in rushing during the regular season, but it will sure make Bielema sleep better at night.

At least until Baby Bielema arrives in about a month or so.