The UA landed the commitment of one of the top cornerback prospects in the nation Wednesday when Adonis Otey pledged to the Hogs.
Otey, 6-0, 170 pounds, of Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn., picked the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Ohio State, Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Louisville, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and others.
"They're getting a very versatile athlete," Blackman Coach Kit Hartsfield said. "He's a big, long, physical corner, but he's not just limited to playing corner. He can play nickel, he can play safety. He plays quarterback for us, and he played receiver the other day and caught a touchdown pass so he's a jack of all trades.
"I would say his physicality and size are what they like at cornerback and being able to match up with big receivers in the SEC, but I don't think he'll be limited to just one thing."
ESPN rates Otey a four-star prospect and the No. 30 athlete in the nation. As a junior, he recorded 22 tackles on defense for a 9-3 team. He also had 21 rushes for 131 yards and 4 touchdowns, and 6 receptions for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns.
"His demeanor is very unique," Hartsfield said. "Most guys when they make a great play or bad play they get very emotional or they get really high or really low. He's very even keel all the time. He's not a big talker. He knows how to control his emotions during a game, which allows him to make good decisions, and he knows how to rebound when he gets beat.
"Most kids ... his age don't have control over their emotions like he does in the heat of the moment."
Hartsfield said Otey is just as good off the field.
"Most importantly to me, he's a great kid," he said. "He's a high-character kid, he's a leader and he's a great teammate."
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Sports on 08/05/2018