FAYETTEVILLE — Before Arkansas got its recruiting weekend started Friday with nine official visitors and two unofficial visitors - one whose dad is former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops - it already had one new addition in the books.
Lake Travis, Texas, cornerback and kick returner Nathan Parodi (5-9, 165) announced his intention to take a preferrred walk on offer from the Razorbacks over one from Wisconsin and scholarship offers from smaller schools.
He took an unofficial visit to the Arkansas campus on the weekend of Jan. 13-15.
“I think my fit with Arkansas was better,” Parodi said. “I love Wisconsin and I love those coaches an they have a really great program over there, but I felt that Fayetteville was a better fit for me.”
Part of that fit is because of Arkansas’ recent hiring of former Lake Travis head coach, Clemson offensive coordinator and former SMU head coach Chad Morris.
“There is no coach I would rather play for than Chad Morris,” Parodi said. “He is one of the most incredible men I have ever met and is something special.
“The staff at Arkansas made me feel at home and apart of the family, as they truly care for their players, and that’s what brought me to Arkansas. The fans, coaches and players are all family and I wanted to be a part of that.”
Parodi had 114 tackles - 67 solo stops - as well a school-record tying seven interceptions, four of which came in the playoffs as Lake Travis made its eight state title game in 10 years.
“I knew I could make a play on the ball, I just had to make sure I was in the right place at the right times,” Parodi said. “My coaches did a great job of teaching me how how to use my eyes as a greatest weapon and that if I played with good eyes, my instincts would take care of the rest.”
He also had 627 return yards while taking two kickoffs back for touchdowns during the playoffs.
Lake Travis (13-3) has won six state titles - five in Class 4A and 2016 in Class 6A - in the last 10 years behind Morris and current head coach Hank Carter.
Carter, the highest-paid high school football coach in Texas at $155,156 per the Fort Worth Star Telegram, succeeded the new Arkansas head coach after Morris won championships his final two seasons before moving into college coaching at Tulsa.
“It’s the defense,” Parodi said. “Coach Carter is a defensive-minded coach that knows how to get guys all on the same page and execute. He is an expert at putting players in the best position for them to help the team.
“Every year Lake Travis always has a solid defense no doubt.”
Jan. 19-21
Official visitors:
• Connor Noland, QB, 6,3, 205, Greenwood (Arkansas commit)
• Silas Robinson, OL, 6-5, 300, Yoakum, Texas (Arkansas commit)
• Tyree Wilson, DE, 6-5, 235, New London, Texas West Rusk (Texas A&M commit)
• Rakeem Boyd, TB, 5-11, 200 Independence, Kan., CC (Houston, Texas, Stratford
• Treveon Johnson, WR, 6-1, 180, Brenham, Texas (Oklahoma commit)
• Courte Alexander, DE, 6-5, 260, Owasso, Okla.
• Aaron Brule, LB-S, 6-1, 220, Metairie, (La.) Rummel
• Andrew Parker, LB, 6-2, 225, New Orleans Sophie B. Wright
• Joseph Foucha, 5-11, 195, New Orleans, La., McDonogh 35
Unofficial visitors:
• Myles Mason, S, 6-2, 205, Trussville, Ala., Hewitt-Trussville (already taken official visit to Arkansas)
• Isaac Stoops, WR-CB, 5-10, 170, Norman, Okla., North