FAYETTEVILLE — Three true freshmen made a sizable impression on Arkansas' coaching staff during preseason practices.
Defensive backs Khari Johnson and Myles Slusher, and tight end Blayne Toll were among the biggest movers in the Razorbacks' group of newcomers. On Monday, they were listed in Arkansas' two-deep depth chart for Saturday's season opener against No. 4 Georgia.
Johnson and Slusher will enter the first game of their careers as backups to cornerback Jerry Jacobs and safety Joe Foucha, respectively. Toll, a former standout at Hazen High School, could earn a start against the Bulldogs as the tight end.
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https://www.wholeho…">Takeaways from Arkansas' Week 1 depth chart
According to the depth chart, either Toll or redshirt freshman Hudson Henry will be included in the starting lineup.
Toll's time at Arkansas has been adventurous, to say the least. He signed with the Razorbacks as a defensive end, but was moved to tight end prior to fall camp. He later moved back to defense before landing at tight end a second time.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has seen good things from Toll to this point and is beginning to feel better and better about his tight end room.
"He’s been there now for I don’t know how long – quite awhile – and he’s doing well," Pittman said Monday. "I think we’ve got the game plan where he’ll know what to do, because he does have a lot of speed. He’s probably a little bit faster than Hudson would be.
"Hudson has really had a good couple of weeks."
Slusher, who was once an Oregon commit and an early enrollee at Arkansas, called Pittman the night before National Signing Day in December to inform him he would be joining the Razorbacks. Pittman was thrilled to land the No. 5 safety in the country, according to 247 Sports, after also pursuing him at Georgia.
Slusher, a star at Oklahoma high school football power Broken Arrow, has apparently wasted little time in his quest to see the field from the jump.
"Slusher has been a mature, athletic guy ever since he walked in the door," Pittman said. "I’m really, really excited about his future here. He’s a physical player. Very knowledgable and well coached out of high school.
"And he’s got speed. Those things are certainly why he’s in our two-deep."
Arkansas cornerbacks coach Sam Carter said in February that Johnson, a former three-star prospect from Massachusetts, has legitimate 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash. That speed stood out to Pittman once he saw Johnson live.
The first-year head coach likes Johnson's play as a man-coverage corner.
"Very talented," Pittman added. "Again, in order to get on the field early as a freshman, you have to be mature. You have to be smart, you have to understand the schematics of the game. And, again, he was well coached in high school, too.
"(Slusher and Johnson) are very mature for their age."
The depth chart provided Monday is filled with "the best players we have," Pittman said when asked about the mix of veterans and youth.
"Some of them will go out there and it’ll be the first time to be in front of the Razorback fans," he added. "Certainly we’re trying to get confidence in them so they’ll be ready to get out there."