Freshman Soli standing out to upperclassmen

Arkansas defensive lineman Mataio Soli (11) takes part in a drill Tuesday, March 5, 2019, during practice at the university practice facility on campus in Fayetteville. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from practice.

FAYETTEVILLE — Johnny White saw firsthand what defensive end Mataio Soli is capable of last fall.

As a junior at Douglas County High School in Georgia, Soli finished with 70 tackles and 18 sacks. Remarkably, his numbers were even better the following year, totaling 84 tackles and 22.5 sacks, including an 8.5-sack performance in a game in late August.

White, Soli's high school coach, is now expecting big things from him at Arkansas.

"I think he’s going to be a special talent," White told WholeHogSports in February. "The way that boy eats and the weight he’s going to put on and the way he’s going to work, he’s going to refuse to not be on the field. He’s going to find a way on the field.

"I’m really expecting to see him playing on Sundays in the next 3-4 years. He’s going to take all of that in (by enrolling early) and he’s going to do everything in his power to get on the field."

Since arriving on campus in January, Soli has made his presence felt. He consistently drew positive reviews from Razorbacks coach Chad Morris and capped a productive spring with a pair of tackles for loss in the Red-White game in early April.

Soli primarily ran with Arkansas' second-team defensive line earlier this year and he's done the same through six days of preseason practice. Dorian Gerald, in his second and final season with the Razorbacks, said the freshman has caught his attention on more than one occasion this fall.

"Honestly, Soli is what you look for in a D-end," Gerald said Thursday. "He’s very twitchy. He’s a big dude. He’s fast. Soli’s just got to keep getting better every day. As long as Soli keeps coming in and gets better like he does, Soli’s going to be one of the best defensive ends to come through (Arkansas), in my opinion.

"I know I speak high on him, but Soli is going to be a really good player."

Gabe Richardson, another Georgia native, is the projected starter at defensive end opposite Gerald. Richardson said this week he's taken it upon himself to mentor the younger players at his position, especially Soli.

"You’ve got to," he said. "I’m with Soli every day. He’s from Atlanta just like me. ... Soli is with me every single day, so I’m teaching him off the field, too, (about) how to be a better person."

Prior to the beginning of preseason practices, Arkansas strength and conditioning coach Trumain Carroll commended Soli for his offseason training. He now weighs 239 pounds, according to the Razorbacks' updated roster, up from 218 this spring.

"He’s added quite a bit of weight, and it looks really good on him," Carroll said. "His numbers actually went up. He’s up to to, I want to say, a 33- or 34-inch vertical. So he’s a guy that genetically, he’s very gifted.

"He has the work ethic to match what his parents already gave him."

Junior defensive lineman Jonathan Marshall, who Carroll labeled as the strongest player on the team, said Thursday that Soli gained valuable experience through enrolling early, which has expedited his progression.

"He went through the whole spring. He’s doing really good right now, so he’s rolling with the 1s and 2s," Marshall added. "He’s getting reps in there. He’s doing phenomenal right now as a freshman."