The Recruiting Guy

Pittman to host 4 on weekend visits

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman speaks Monday, December 9, 2019 during an introductory press conference at the Walker Pavilion in Fayetteville.

University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman will host at least four football prospects for official visits this weekend.

Former Arkansas athlete/receiver commitment Darin Turner plans to be back on campus today.

Turner, 6-4, 215 pounds, of Memphis Central, picked Arkansas on Aug. 30 over scholarship offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Louisville, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. He reopened his recruiting after the firing of Chad Morris as the Hogs' coach on Nov. 10.

He was high school teammates with Arkansas freshman defensive lineman Eric Gregory and freshman receiver Shamar Nash before they left Memphis Central for IMG Academy in Florida.

ESPN rates Turner a four-star prospect, the No. 18 receiver and No. 114 overall prospect in the 2020 class. He made an official visit to Fayetteville for the Auburn game Oct. 19.

Because of the coaching change at Arkansas, Turner is allowed to officially visit the Hogs again.

Two more Memphis area prospects also plan to arrive today for official visits. Missouri offensive line commitment Ray Curry Jr., 6-5, 315, of Memphis White Station, and offensive lineman Marcus Henderson, 6-4, 315, of Memphis University High School plan to arrive today.

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Both have been recruited by Arkansas offensive line coach Brad Davis, who was on the Missouri staff this past season. Curry, an ESPN three-star and the No. 44 offensive tackle in the nation, plans to leave Saturday to officially visit Missouri.

Henderson made an official visit to Missouri on Nov. 23. ESPN rates him as a four-star prospect, the No. 6 offensive guard and the No. 164 overall prospect.

Virginia safety commitment Donovan Johnson, 6-2, 180, of Harvey (La.) Helen Cox, is rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 37 safety in the nation.

Paying Toll visit

Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman has been on the road visiting schools and making in-home visits this week.

One of his in-home visits was to see defensive end commitment Blayne Toll and his parents, George and Tabatha, on Tuesday night.

Toll, 6-6, 244, of Hazen, picked the Hogs over scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Memphis. He also had scholarship offers from LSU, Auburn, Nebraska, TCU, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Baylor and others.

Pittman was joined by offensive line coach Brad Davis and defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell. Tabatha called Pittman very genuine.

"He was very passionate about coaching the Razorbacks," she said. "You can tell it was his dream job. He's tickled to be there, and you can tell that by the way he talked to Blayne about coaching the Razorbacks. You can tell it means the world to him."

Toll, who has recorded an electronic 4.88 seconds in the 40-yard dash, impressed Pittman by sticking with his commitment after the firing of Chad Morris.

"He was really impressed with Blayne. He said, 'You could've decommitted and left because you were in limbo with no coach there for a while. You stuck by your word. You always wanted to be a Razorback.' He said, 'I wont forget you stood by your word.' "

The Tolls said they enjoyed getting to know Davis.

"He said as far as Coach Pittman, 'I think he's the only man who's kept every promise he's ever made to me and has always been true to his word in every word he's ever said and done,' " Tabatha said.

Email Richard Davenport atrdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 12/13/2019