The Recruiting Guy

Alabama duo checking out Hogs

Arkansas football helmets sit atop storage bins during a game against Mississippi State on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, in Fayetteville.

Two University of Arkansas football targets arrived in Fayetteville on Thursday evening for a two-day visit that will wrap up this afternoon.

Offensive linemen Brady Ward and running back Jordon Ingram of Mobile (Ala.) St. Paul's Episcopal were expected to have an on-campus dinner with offensive line coach Dustin Fry and running backs coach Jeff Traylor on Thursday night.They will tour the campus, facilities and meet other staff today.

Ward, 6-7, 310 pounds, has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Auburn, LSU, Florida, Tennessee, Oregon, North Carolina, Ole Miss and numerous others, while Ingram, 6-1, 200 pounds, has offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss, LSU, Kansas, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and others.

"I'm going to look at the campus see the people what they like to do, where they go, take a look at the facilities and weight room," Ward said.

Fry has been in Ward's ear about the Hogs and his wishes to get him to Fayetteville.

"They're showing they're really interested in me," said Ward, who's considering making his college decision towards the end of the summer. "He told me he really wanted me to come over and see them."

Ward, who was named to the second-team MaxPreps Football Junior All-American Team, said he and Fry are similar in personality.

CBS Sports Network national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming has yet to rate Ward and Ingram, but thinks well of both.

"Ward has the length, long arms, the quick feet and the technique you're looking for in a tackle," Lemming said. "He makes few mistakes and has the growth potential to weigh well over 300 pounds."

Ingram had 246 carries for 1,526 yards, 20 touchdowns along with 15 receptions for 150 yards for the Class 6A Saints who play in the second highest classification in Alabama.

"Ingram is the top running back prospect in the Mobile area," Lemming said. "He has good size, speed, vision and balance. He's a tough runner with a burst."

The visit to Arkansas will be Ward's visit to a school since the fall.

"I go around the campus and see how the people like the school and I get to know the coaches and see what kind of people they are and how they deal with their player," Ward said.

With Ward thinking of majoring in business, Arkansas' highly regarded Sam M. Walton College of Business could help the Hogs.

"I want to go to the NFL after college, but just in case that doesn't happen I want to have a backup, so I need a real good education," Ward said.

His father, Brian, who was an offensive lineman at LSU in the early 1990s, has built a successful pharmaceutical business from the ground up.

"He worked hard for it and worked for a pharmaceutical company and got to know how it worked," Ward said. "[It] started really small with about two people, including my mom. It's been growing across the country. He's doing really well right now, and I'm really proud of him."

Ward is considering working for his father when his playing days are over.

"I'm thinking about working for him for awhile and probably take over the business," Ward said.

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 02/22/2019