As arguably the state’s top junior football player, Ashdown tight end Shamar Easter is a priority recruit for Arkansas’ football program.
His comments after being on hand for the Razorbacks’ recruiting picnic last Saturday — his second visit to Fayetteville in the last two months — could bode well for Arkansas in the future.
"I'm really liking the coaches,” Easter said. “The coaching staff is great. That's the main part about it, it feels like home. So, that makes it even better...Everything else falls in place.”
According to 247Sports composite rankings, Easter (6-5, 225 pounds) is the top player in Arkansas in the 2023 class and 136th-best overall nationally. Rivals ranks him 60th in the country and ESPN ranks him 200th.
Easter has offers from Auburn, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Florida State, Michigan State, Arizona State, Kansas, Louisiana-Monroe and Kansas.
Arkansas tight ends coach Dowell Loggains, a former NFL offensive coordinator and 13-year NFL assistant, is leading the recruitment of Easter.
Easter was first in-state prospect in his class to be offered by the Razorbacks on April 6, 2020.
"Coach Loggains, great guy,” Easter said. “I mean, all the things he has under his belt, he can teach me a lot. So, I need to lock in, stay focused and do what I keep doing, and hopefully I make it to where I want to be."
Easter had 22 catches for 400 yards and 7 touchdowns last season for a team that finished 7-4 and returns 14 starters, including 8 on offense.
Ashdown is scheduled to open its season Aug. 27 at Hamburg.
"I'm feeling pretty good about it,” Easter said. “We have a lot of people back. We lost a few people, they went on to college, but I'm feeling good about where we stand and where we are right now."