The Recruiting Guy

JUCO O-lineman ready to experience Arkansas

NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Arkansas offensive line coach Dustin Fry speaks to his players Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, during practice at the university practice field on campus in Fayetteville. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the practice.

Junior college offensive lineman Josh Donovan is ready to see what Arkansas has to offer on his unofficial visit to Fayetteville this weekend.

“Just going down there and seeing some new things and hopefully be able to see some of my future teammates and get to talk to the coaches,” Donovan said.

Donovan, 6-6, 310 pounds, of Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, has scholarship offers from Arkansas, McNeese State, Nevada-Las Vegas, Incarnate Word and Northwestern State along with interest from Rutgers, Texas Tech, Memphis and Georgia State.

He plans to make an official visit to Arkansas in December.

“I was going to take my official this weekend, but my mom wasn’t able to make it,” Donovan said. “So I went ahead and took an unofficial. I want her to come and see everything I’m seeing so she can get a better feel, too.”

The trip to Fayetteville will be his first visit to a college this year. He’s being recruited by offensive line coach Dustin Fry.

“He’s a cool guy,” Donovan said of Fry. “You can tell he cares a lot about the people he’s recruiting and his players. He checks up on me a lot.”

Donovan has dropped quite a bit of weight since last season and feels much better at 310 pounds.

“I had a big spring, and I got more flexible,” he said. “I just felt like I needed to lose a little bit more weight so I could be able to move more. I worked out a lot and ran a lot.”

Arkansas is recruiting him to play tackle, but Donovan isn’t set on just one spot.

“I’m down to play any position,” he said.