The Recruiting Guy

JUCO lineman's interest in Hogs growing

Highly recruited junior college defensive lineman Isaiah Iton came away impressed with the University of Arkansas’ defensive effort in the 24-13 victory over Tennessee on Saturday.

“Both teams were stopping the run and the pass on both sides of the ball,” Iton said. “Defensively, Arkansas did really well against them. The D-line and the DBs and everybody was doing good.”

Iton, 6-4, 290 pounds, of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College had nine scholarship offers from schools including Arkansas, Ole Miss, Washington State, Arkansas State and others when the Hogs offered him on Oct. 2.

His offer list has since swelled to include Maryland, Missouri, Syracuse, Houston, Mississippi State, Indiana, Illinois, Baylor and Virginia Tech.

Arkansas’ improved play and its recent win over the Volunteers are helping make the Razorbacks more attractive.

“It helps with the interest level,” Iton said. “Seeing a team win like that and holding like that on defense and getting good stops.”

Soon after the Hogs offered him, Iton said Arkansas was standing out and that remains the same.

“I still have the same thoughts about Arkansas like I did before,” Iton said. “Nothing has changed, so they’re still up there.”

Ole Miss and another school are also coming hard at him.

“The new school hitting me hard is Mississippi State,” Iton said.

Missouri, Maryland and Virginia Tech are also aggressive in their pursuit of Iton.

“They’re hitting me hard, too,” Iton said.

He signed with Northern Colorado out of Pearland, Texas. Iton had 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack as a freshman before transferring to Hutchinson over the summer.

Iton said he’s heard good things about Arkansas linebackers coach Rion Rhoades, who was the head coach at Hutchinson for 13 years before joining Coach Sam Pittman’s staff.

He’s been talking to Pittman, defensive coordinator Barry Odom and defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc

“He’s a good dude,” Iton said of Pittman. “He actually cares about his players.”

Iton and LeBlanc spoke Sunday and plan to talk again today.

“Overall, what I see is a good person,” Iton said. “I still like to pick his brain.”

Iton, who expects to graduate in December and enroll at his new school in January, has put off making a decision until the semester is over in a couple of weeks.

“Right now, I’m just trying to focus on school then when I go home on break that’s when I’ll really start focusing on recruiting,” Iton said. “I can’t go anyway without grades so I’m focused on school. School is going really good. I have all As and Bs so I’m trying to keep it like that.”