What Sam Pittman said introducing Arkansas' new signing class

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman speaks Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, during Media Day for football in the Frank Broyles Athletic Center on the university campus in Fayetteville.

More from WholeHogSports: 2021 National Signing Day updates

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman

• Signing Day has changed over the years. By about 7:30 a.m. it's over. We didn't have any surprises – so far. We signed 19 high school kids and two transfers today. Very, very excited about the class and we think we addressed our needs.

• I am excited about the two portal additions in Jadon Haselwood and Landon Jackson.

• On the offensive linemen in this class: Andrew Chamblee has the potential to be a great player. He has size, feet and all of those things. E'Marion Harris moves very well and had a good state championship game. Patrick Kutas, he's got a really good high school coach and I think he'll be ready. There's a chance he will play early in his career. Chamblee is athletic and looks like you're supposed to.

• On wide receivers who were signed: If you look back at last year's class, we think we hit on all of them. They're just young. These guys are all talented and bring different things. We wanted to stay as big as we possibly could in terms of length so we can go win 1-on-1 battles. Isaiah Sategna was winning those all the time at Fayetteville.

• When you're looking at 17-19 coming in early, you have to have those scholarships available. You get a whole spring with somebody, they have a chance and a chance to really play. The ones who aren't ready, they may get a shot at some special teams reps. The number of guys enrolling early could grow.

• On Haselwood and Jackson: Two totally different guys in that Haselwood is older and has played a lot of ball. Landon Jackson has played some ball until he got hurt. We need help at both of those positions, in my opinion. I'm very excited to get both of them, because we expect them to help out immediately.

• I think with Treylon Burks' numbers, people understand we can throw the football, and KJ Jefferson's numbers prove that, too. The numbers alone with what Burks did helped us with some of the receivers we signed.

• Each year we're getting a little bit better with our class rankings. I think we'll continue to move up in those things. We want to be right in who we get. We won't offer a kid a scholarship if we wouldn't take it. I'm proud of our staff and recruiting department. They did a nice job organizing everything. Each year we're getting a little bit better and our team is doing the same thing. As long as we're moving that way, most people will like it.

• Everything is fluid, Pittman said when asked about no quarterback being in this signing class. That would be something that is always being looked at. We decided not to sign a quarterback because we're on some in the 2023 class and it might help us get them. We felt pretty secure at the position.

• On the numbers crunch to stay under 85: I bet you before we get it all over with we'll be under 85. It's free agency out there. It's wild right now. It's an "If I'm not starting, I'm transferring" world. You don't want to lose depth at all. I'm about positive it will all work itself out.

• Pittman confirmed that Andy Boykin, Jermaine Hamilton-Jordan and J.T. Towers are in the transfer portal.

• I like Chris Paul, I like Andrew Parker and I'm trying like crazy to get Bumper Pool to stay. That's no secret. Linebacker is one of our positions where we lost some good ones. That's concerning. We feel like we have guys on campus who can take over and play well there, but's it's an unproven position to this point.

• On Jalen Catalon’s return: I think he made a great decision. Personally, I think it was a good decision for him, as well. With him coming back, it’s a big, big thing for us. Pittman added that both Ricky Stromberg and Catalon were draftable.

• We've been out in the state, but not like we need to be, honestly. This January, we're going to make a huge push in our state to meet coaches and get around.

• Pittman says the NCAA transfer portal has hurt high school recruiting and JUCO recruiting.

• Isaiah Sategna and Quincey McAdoo came back to us sometime around when we made our first run this season. They know they can experience bowls with our program.

• I always have concerns that other schools are going to come after my assistants, but I don't believe we are going to lose anyone on the staff. I don't want to lose anybody and I don't have any indication that I'm going to.