FAYETTEVILLE — A future Arkansas quarterback was on campus Thursday to participate in the seven-hour long Razorback Quarterback/Wide Receiver Academy.
Sardis, Miss., North Panola signal caller KJ Jefferson (6-3, 210) pledged to Arkansas on May 18th. He was one of 130 participants in the event.
“I have been having fun at the Wide Receiver/Quarterback Academy and it has been a really cool experience,” Jefferson said. “I took a lot of coaching to perfect my game and help me better my teammates, too.”
Jefferson has been the starter for North Panola for the last three years while completing 336 of 619 passes for 6,474 passing yards for 82 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions.
He’s also rushed for 2,006 yards with 17 more scores.
Jefferson chose Arkansas over offers from Georgia, Texas A&M, Missouri, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Kentucky, North Carolina State and others.
“They (other coaches) know I am committed, but a couple of coaches are still calling and texting me trying to get me to switch my mind, but it is not going to happen,” Jefferson said.
“I will probably still take my officials, but that’s it.”
Jefferson has been doing his own recruiting as well with a pair of four-star receivers. They are recent Razorback pledge Shamar Nash (6-1, 190) of Bradenton, Fla., IMG Academy and Trey Knox (6-4, 210) of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Blackman.
“I reached out to Shamar Nash before he committed, we talked and he told me it was the right spot for him and that he was going to come and help turn this program around,” Jefferson said. “I have been talking to Trey Knox, too. We have been talking real heavy.”
Jefferson has now been on Arkansas’ campus three times since March.
“I am getting pretty familiar with the place now and just coming up here, seeing all the coaches and having a great time,” Jefferson said. “I am just enjoying myself and my family is, too.”
Jefferson completed 150 of 236 passes for 3,028 yards and 36 touchdowns, with just 3 interceptions as a junior. He rushed 139 times for 1,325 yards and 8 touchdowns while leading the Cougars to a 13-1 record and the Class 3A semifinals.
North Panola is adding a few wrinkles to its offense this year.
“We basically doing a lot from last season, but just throwing in a couple of schemes that the colleges use now at this level,” Jefferson said. “He is basically just perfecting me to what I will come into on this level.
“It’s nothing too hard, just me getting out there and reading and helping everybody know what they are doing on the field and off the field, make sure they are studying the plays. It’s just me being a leader and making sure everybody else is accountable.”