The Recruiting Guy

RB prospect Strong lives up to name

A conversation with Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Chad Morris and Jeff Traylor along with a scholarship offer was enough to persuade running back Charles Strong to set up an official visit to Fayetteville.

Strong, 6-1, 225 pounds, 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Lake Butler (Fla.) Union County has more than 20 other offers from schools such as Florida State, Florida, Oregon, Auburn, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and others.

Others on the Razorbacks' staff also spoke to Strong.

"Basically introducing myself and them introducing themselves to me," Strong said. "The coaches were telling me I had an offer, and they want to make a visit sometime next week to see me and come here and basically start a relationship."

He committed to Coach Jimbo Fisher and Florida State over a year a go, but he reopened his recruitment Dec. 13 after the departure of Fisher to Texas A&M. He plans to officially visit the Aggies on Jan. 19-21, Ole Miss on Jan. 26-28 and the Hogs on Feb. 2-4.

"Things happen for a reason," Strong said of reopening his recruitment. "Since then all the schools that's been coming after me are from the SEC."

Since he declared he was reopening his recruitment, Strong has received several new offers but announced only the one from the Razorbacks.

"That's the first one I actually announced on Twitter," Strong said. "I haven't announced all of them. I had Oregon, I had Florida State, and I had Florida."

Strong is aware of Morris' time at Clemson and his recruitment of quarterback Deshaun Watson, the No. 12 overall pick by the Houston Texans in the 2017 NFL Draft.

"I've been watching Arkansas and I've been watching Coach because one, he's from Clemson," Strong said. "He recruited Watson and recruited a few good backs that were at Clemson."

He plans to major in physical therapy so he can stay active in sports after he finishes playing football.

"I still want to be close to sports and learn more about the body," he said. "I love to work out and I love to train."

Strong, who will play in the Blue-Grey All American Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday, received his first scholarship offer from former Florida coach Will Muschamp in the eighth grade while attending school near the Florida campus.

"I use to run to UF almost every day after school to just go watch them practice," he said. "I basically grew up around them."

National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Strong as a three-star-plus prospect.

"He's a powerhouse of a back that could play tailback or fullback on the next level," Lemming said. "He's extremely effective between the tackles. He shows a good pair of hands and can block. He certainly has the power to run through defenders. Upon contact, he will continue to drive his legs showing the determination, strength and balance you look for in a big back."

Strong reports a 405-pound bench press and a 630 squat.

"The last time I dead lifted, we weren't even maxing, we were just throwing weight on the bar and I probably had like 655," Strong said. "I love the weights. I've been lifting weights since the seventh grade."

Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 01/09/2018