Hogs finish strong in early recruiting

Bryant cornerback Jonah Brewster (20) tackles Fayetteville wide receiver Isaiah Sategna (1) during the second quarter of the Class 7A state championship game on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

The Hog is strong on the recruiting trail per Arkansas head football coach Sam Pittman, who is on the verge of landing a top 15 to 20 recruiting class.

Pittman said he and his staff have enjoyed a great reception since finishing up the regular season with a 34-17 win over Missouri.

The Razorback coaches were able to get on the road two days after the victory over the Tigers and able to visit committed or targeted 2022 recruits at their schools or home.

“I think it’s went really well,” Pittman said. “I think we have good recruiters on our staff, and the reception has been…the Hog is strong out there across the country. I’ve been on the road myself in several different states and in different high schools. The reception has been unbelievable. Very pleased with where we’re at. Winning has helped us, and we’ll certainly use this bowl invite to our advantage as well.”

Turning a program that had won 7 games the last three years into one that won 8 this season and has an Outback Bowl berth against Penn State on New Year’s Day makes it an easy sell right now.

“It’s fairly easy right now because this will be our last week that we can go out before the dead period begins,” Pittman said of the contact period that shuts down this Sunday.

“So we’re full-fledged ahead recruiting. Friday we will practice, but that’s just going to be, I would like to call it early fall camp type practice. Saturday we will as well. We’ll incorporate that in time-wise with our official visits that we have this Friday and Saturday.”

Fayetteville High wide receiver and Arkansas pledge Isaiah Sategna (5-11, 170) is expected to take his official visit beginning Friday and could be joined by other recruits in official and unofficial visits.

Arkansas coaches will be able to use phone calls and texts after Sunday as it prepares for the three-day early signing period to open on Wednesday, Dec. 15.

“We’re going to practice on signing day,” Pittman said. “….We did it at Georgia as well. I thought that might be a little problem. But to be honest with you by 7:30 in the morning on national signing day you have if not all your scholarship guys, the guys that are going to sign with you, you have at least 90% of them in and you can kind of go about your day.

“Whether they are going to wait to announce it on TV at 1 or whatever the case is you usually already have that piece of paper in and don’t have the stress of waiting until 1 o’clock would be. Not really a whole lot.”

Pittman still isn’t sure how many prospects will end up the Class of 2022, which is currently ranked 12th nationally and 4th in the SEC by Rivals, 17th nationally and 7th in the SEC by 247 Sports and 22nd in the country and 8th in the SEC by ESPN.

Arkansas has 20 high school pledges in the class and a college transfer committed in Oklahoma wide receiver Jadon Haselwood (6-3, 202), a former five-star recruit from Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove and the Sooners’ leading receiver in 2021.

The Razorbacks are thought to be the heavy favorite for four-star Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb wideout Sam Mbake (6-3, 205), who visited Arkansas officially this past weekend and is planning on making his college announcement known and signing on Dec. 15.

Lafayette (La.) Acadiana cornerback Laterrance Welch (6-1, 180) is committed to LSU, but took an official visit to Arkansas last weekend and also plans to announce a final decision between the two SEC programs on Dec. 15.

The Razorbacks also still hold out hope for Tulsa Booker T. Washington 5-star defensive back Gentry Williams, an Oklahoma pledge that visited Arkansas unofficially last Saturday.

The fluidity comes with the NCAA’s new rule that allows football programs to bring in an additional seven players if a current member of the team transfers and spots are available under the 85 scholarship limit.

“It’s going to be fluid and I know that’s not the answer that you are probably asking for, a little bit more specific and I appreciate that,” Pittman said. “A lot of it is going to be on how many kids decide to enter the portal. You can sign up to seven. A lot of it depends on that and certainly I’m not a fool to think we won’t have kids to enter the portal.”

Pittman knows the portal route is best for some.

“Certainly will be because of playing time, maybe not being able to get on the field,” Pittman said. “…As I said before if that’s the reason, I am all for it. They should go somewhere they can play. We have to wait and see.

“Somewhere after signing day is when we will sit down with some of the kids and see what they want to do.”