The Recruiting Guy

Top 50 prospect, Arkansas target enjoys visit to Fayetteville

ESPN 5-star Elauna Eaton.

ESPN top 50 prospect and Arkansas target Elauna Eaton officially visited Fayetteville over the weekend, the first of five schools she'll visit.

One of the highlights was visiting Coach Mike Neighbors' home.

“It was a great visit overall,” Eaton said. “I hung out with the players a lot. I hung out with the coaches. I ate at coach Neighbors' house. We had steak, shrimp and chicken.”

During a tour of Neighbors' house, Eaton was blown away by one of his collections.

“His shoe collection is crazy,” Eaton said.

Eaton a 6-foot guard from Nettleton, averaged 16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals while leading the Raiders to a 25-3 record as a junior.

The Hogs went 13-18 in Neighbors' first season in Fayetteville and 22-15 this past season while making it to the SEC Tournament championship game against Mississippi State.

She likes where the program is headed and believes she could be a good addition.

“They’ve progressed every year and I think that’s what they’ll continue to do and if I decide to go there and I could add to what they’re building already,” Eaton said.

ESPN rates Eaton a 5-star recruit, the No. 11 guard and No. 46 overall recruit in the nation for the 2020 class.

Eaton reduced her 34 scholarship offers to Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU, Southern California and North Carolina State in late July. Her next official visit will be to Southern Cal on Sept. 20-22 followed by visits to North Carolina State on Sept. 27-29 and Ole Miss on Oct. 4-6. She plans to visit the Tigers, but has yet to set a date.

Neighbors broke down how he wants to use Eaton.

“It’s kind of like how my high school coach runs things now, so I really wouldn’t have to change my game to play there,” Eaton said.

Neighbors has stopped at Eaton's school the past two years on the first day of the fall contact period and plans to do so again on Sept. 9, the first day coaches can visit prospects.

Eaton’s player-hosts for the visit were Amber Ramirez, Alexis Tolefree and A’Tyanna Gaulden. She said her trips to Arkansas have been outstanding since Neighbors’ arrival.

“Every time I visit Arkansas since he’s been the head coach its been great visit, so I didn't expect it to be any less,” she said. “The players are great and everybody around the program are great. His coaches and everybody that works for him are just great people.”

She said he expects to make her college decision around October.