The Recruiting Guy

Hogs' recruitment doesn't rest on Sunday

Arkansas running backs coach Jeff Traylor throws a football during warmups prior to the Razorbacks' game against Mississippi State on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, in Starkville, Miss.

University of Arkansas associate head coach and running backs coach Jeff Traylor extended a scholarship offer to running back Jay'Veon Sunday in October.

"I really didn't know much about them," said Sunday, a member of the Class of 2020. "I started looking into the school, and I found out they were in the SEC and I like that. I haven't been there yet. That's one thing I do want to do is get up there and see how everything is."

Sunday, 5-11, 195 pounds, of Waco (Texas) Connally has 13 other scholarship offers from schools such as Washington, Baylor, Colorado, Boston College, Kansas, Utah, Purdue and others.

After talking to Traylor, he's decided to see what the Hogs have to offer when he visits Fayetteville on March 9.

"When we first got on the phone, I liked him," Sunday said. "I thought he was a nice dude. He's just cool to talk to and he checks up on me."

Connally Coach Shane Anderson led the Cadets to an 8-4 record and the second round of the Class 4A, Division II playoffs. He said Sunday was a big key to the team's success.

"He's a really, really special football player," Anderson said. "We leaned on him heavily this last season. He carried it 300 times in 12 ball games for 2,400 yards and 36 touchdowns. Very, very physical runner. Just an overall hardworking kid. He lives in the weight room. Very, very strong."

Sunday has a 305-pound bench press, 565 squat and 530 dead lift. He placed first in a local powerlifting event in the 198-pound weight division and is now to headed to the regionals.

He attributes his strength for the reason he is tough to bring down.

"I'm able to run through a lot of people because of how strong I am," Sunday said. "You're not going to tackle me 1-on-1, you're going to have to gang-tackle me. I think I have a lot of power in my legs, too."

He had a best of 22.1 seconds in the 200 meters as a sophomore, while also running legs on the school's 400 and 800 relays.

"He was the first leg of our 4x200 that went to Austin last year as a sophomore," Anderson said.

"He ran a low 22 out of the blocks. He's just a very, very talented kid."

As a junior, Sunday was named the District 8-4A Division II Offensive MVP while also being named the Waco Tribune-Herald's Super Centex Offensive Player of the Year. He's the school's all-time rushing leader and all-time touchdown leader with his senior season left to play.

Sunday has a 3.0 grade-point average and plans to major in sports science.

"He's a great kid, A, B student in the classroom," Anderson said. "He does everything we ask him to do. Like I said, he's just an extremely hard, hard worker."

Three main factors will go into Sunday's college decision.

"If I have a good vibe with the coach and being able to play early and a family environment," he said.

Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 02/19/2019