Louisiana receiver on board with Hogs

Arkansas added an oral commitment Friday afternoon when Shreveport Evangel Christian receiver Jared Cornelius chose the Razorbacks over Missouri.

Cornelius, 6-1, 190 pounds, 4.48 in the 40-yard dash, is the fifth prospect from Louisiana to commit to Arkansas for the 2014 class. He also had scholarship offers from six other schools, including Tennessee, Houston, Tulsa and San Diego State. He said his bond with the coaching staff, and most notably receivers coach Michael Smith, helped put the Hogs over the top.

“That’s my coach. That’s the one I’m going to be around for four years,” Cornelius said of Smith. “He’s the one that’s going to mold me into a NFL receiver. I would say that’s one thing Missouri didn’t have, and that was Coach Smith.”

Cornelius and his mother visited Arkansas on July 19 for the Elite Prospect Camp. Cornelius said he started thinking Arkansas might be the right place for him after being around Smith at the camp and seeing how he related to players.

“That’s what you’re going to school for is the relationship,” Cornelius said. “You can have the best coach in the world, but if you’re not able to talk to him you’re not going to learn anything.”Cornelius had 87 receptions for 1,589 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior. He broke the school’s single-game receiving yardage record, held by former LSU receiver Abram Booty, last year when he caught 7 passes for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns against Barbe.

Now he plans to turn into a recruiter for the Razorbacks. Cornelius said he is trying to convince teammate Santos Ramirez - a 6-2, 180-pound cornerback who has offers from several schools, including Arkansas and LSU - to come on board with the Razorbacks.

Evangel Coach Byron Dawson said Cornelius is among the best the school has produced at his position.

“He’s right up there at the top with some of the ones that have been here,” Dawson said. “The Richard Smiths, DeMarcus Sims and you can go down the line. A guy like Richard played for the Razorbacks and is now on staff there for academics.

“I would say [Cornelius] is a top five, top tier of the Evangel receivers.”

Arkansas also has commitments from receivers Torrance Mosley, 5-10, 175, 4.4, and Corey McBride, 6-2, 180, 4.34, of Geismar (La.) Dutchtown; linebacker Dwayne Eugene, 6-1, 215, 4.5, and cornerback Henre’ Toliver, 6-1, 180, 4.56, of Metairie (La.) Rummel.

Arkansas has 16 commitments for the 2014 class. Oral commitments are nonbinding.