FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas juniors McTelvin Agim, De'Jon Harris and Ryan Pulley have submitted their names to the NFL's draft advisory board, as expected, and should be hearing back soon on their status.
"When we get that back, should get that back in early December, it's our job to educate and provide them as much information as they need to make a decision of what's best for them," Arkansas Coach Chad Morris said at his year-end press conference on Thursday. "We want to support them in that decision."
Harris is leading the SEC with 118 tackles, although there are some guys nipping at his heels, such as his friend Devin White of LSU (115 tackles), Vanderbilt's Jordan Griffin (110) and Auburn's Deshaun Davis (107).
Agim ranks sixth on Razorbacks team with 45 tackles and leads the club with 10 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hurries. He also had 4.5 sacks working both as a defensive end and on the interior.
Pulley, a redshirt junior who missed the 2017 season following pectoral muscle surgery, ranks seventh on the team with 37 tackles and leads with 7 pass breakups. He ranks 21st on Pro Football Focus grading among SEC cornerbacks with 300 or more snaps.
Pulley was disciplined for the season finale when Morris suspended him for socializing with Mississippi State cheer team personnel. He also missed two starts because of in-house discipline.
Morris said Pulley and sophomore safety Kamren Curl, who was also suspended for the finale, were both back in the Smith Center on Monday going through team activities.
Morris said there were no other juniors involved in the NFL Draft evaluation process, indicating tight end Cheyenne O'Grady is targeted for a return for his senior year.
Out and in
Redshirt freshman running back Maleek Williams announced his intention to transfer via a post on his Twitter account Thursday.
Williams, the fourth-team tailback, rushed for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 carries this season. He wrote, "I will always support the hawgs and my bros and have a huge appreciation for the state of Arkansas and the great people that call Arkansas home."
Coach Chad Morris said he expects "getting upwards of 29 new faces in here" between the December and February signing periods, which would necessitate more departures from the current roster to stay at 85 scholarships.
Known scholarship players who are headed out, in addition to Williams, are senior graduate transfer Jonathan Nance, sophomore receiver Jarrod Barnes, sophomore linebacker Kyrei Fisher, junior defensive back Nate Dalton and sophomore defensive back Derrick Munson. Junior tight end Austin Cantrell is graduating and has informed Morris he intends to start his professional career outside of football. Morris said he plans to visit with Cantrell again as the semester winds down.
Sophomore center Dylan Hays has taken a medical redshirt, which will open up his scholarship.
Additionally, walk-ons Tobias Enlow, a receiver, and Tyler Hall, an offensive lineman, have made plans to leave the program.
Morris said he expected to have as many as 12 early enrollees who could go through spring drills.
Roster update
A small handful of Razorbacks required post-season surgeries, starting with tailback Rakeem Boyd, who had work done on his left shoulder. Coach Chad Morris said Boyd could have played this week based on the knee injury that knocked him out of the loss at Missouri on Friday.
Linebacker Hayden Henry also went through shoulder surgery on Wednesday and cornerback Britto Tutt will require another knee surgery, Morris said.
Morris reiterated that cornerback Chevin Calloway's status as "stepping away from the team" has not changed, and that he will visit with the sophomore later.
Staff change?
Chad Morris said he didn't expect to make any staff changes, but the Razorbacks might have to make some movement.
Running backs coach Jeff Traylor is on the list of candidates for the vacant head coaching spot at Stephen F. Austin, his alma mater.
"I've been a part of staffs to where coaches move on and become head coaches and better themselves," Morris said. "We would not stand in anybody's way that would want to go out and feel like they're bettering themselves."
Grass moves
Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek said the artificial turf at Reynolds Razorback Stadium will be pulled up after the spring game on April 6 to make way for the return of natural grass. The Razorbacks have not played on natural grass at Razorback Stadium since 2008.
"It's so amazing, the technology in grass now," Yurachek said. "We can wait almost until late July, early August to roll out the grass because it'll be growing at a sod farm. Then they'll bring it in refrigerated trucks and roll that out.
"Technically, you could play on that within two or three days if you had to. But that will allow the whole month of August for it to grow in before we open up the season."
The Razorbacks open the 2019 season on campus against Portland State on Aug. 31.
Sports on 11/30/2018