The Recruiting Guy

Former commit impressed with Pittman, decision coming

2020 athlete/receiver Darin Turner.

Former Arkansas commitment Darin Turner wrapped up his second official visit to Fayetteville and will now announce his decision on Thursday and sign with his school of choice.

The trip allowed him to get to know coach Sam Pittman.

"I like that he's honest,” Turner said. “He wants to win and he's coming from a winning environment. He just wants to make the program better by recruiting top players to help change the Arkansas football program around."

Turner, 6-4, 215 pounds, of Memphis Central, has accumulated offers from Arkansas, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Louisville, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and others during the recruiting process. He pledged to the Razorbacks on Aug. 30 and re-opened his recruiting after the firing of former coach Chad Morris.

"Yeah, I want to be here, but by Chad Morris being fired, it kind of pushed me back from coming,” Turner said. “I decommitted until they got a new head coach, and now I'm just now talking to the new head coach and I'm liking it."

The weekend trip was his fourth visit to Arkansas. He made unofficial visits in March and July along with an official visit for the Auburn game on Oct. 19. Prospects can officially visit the school twice if there is a coaching change and he hasn't taken his allotted five visits.

The previous staff recruited him as an athlete, and Pittman is doing the same.

"They're pretty much leaving it up to me, whatever position I want to play,” Turner said.

Turner prefers playing receiver but is open to playing elsewhere.

"I'll play defense to help my team out,” he said.

He was hosted by Arkansas freshman receiver and close friend Shamar Nash. They were teammates at Central before Nash left to play his senior year at IMG Academy in Florida.

"That's my boy since Day 1,” Turner said. “Him being my host was exciting."

Turner recorded 20 receptions for 331 yards and five touchdowns while making 13.5 tackles, one tackle for loss, five interceptions and six pass breakups on defense this season.

He plans to announce his decsion and sign with the school of his choice around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. He said Tennessee, Ole Miss, Arkansas, LSU and Miami are his finalists.

Turner is optimistic about the staff Pittman is putting together.

“I liked the coach and the coaching staff he's bringing in. It's really good,” he said.