Bonner sees bright future at Arkansas

Rashod Dubinion and Janiran Bonner

— As one of four Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove junior standouts and six Saints who Arkansas is after, four-star wide receiver Janiran Bonner has taken a keen interest in the Razorbacks’ attempt to turn around their football program.

Bonner (6-3, 200) likes what he sees from Arkansas coach Sam Pittman, who hired former Cedar Grove coach Jimmy Smith as his running backs coach.

“I’ve been talking to my former coach, Coach Smith, the running back coach at Arkansas,” Bonner said. “That is a good school and there is probably a good chance that I could go there. I just need to conversate with the new wide receiver coach and build a strong relationship with him.

“I like what they are doing up there and I think it is a school that is going to be really good as they go on and add some more players.”

In a recent interview, former Cedar Grove and current Cordele (Ga.) Crisp County coach Miguel Patrick praised Bonner, who missed the 2020 regular season because of a broken femur but made it back for the playoffs.

“Janiran is a 6-3, 200-pound receiver that has the speed, the athleticism, the power,” Patrick said. “He is just a real physical receiver that can take a five-yard hitch, run through the cornerback and then outrun the safety. He is a man-child of a receiver.”

He played for Hustle Inc. this past weekend and the NFA 7-on-7 East Regional.

Bonner, ranked 200th by 247 Sports' composite rankings, caught 30 passes and had nine touchdowns as a sophomore. He patterns his game after former Alabama and current Atlanta Falcons star Julio Jones.

“I feel like I play like Julio based on how big I am, how I prepare and how I make the crucial catch,” Bonner said. “With my body style and how I play, I compare my style to Julio.”

Arkansas joins Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Tennessee, Oregon, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Baylor, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois and other programs in offering Bonner.

With the recruiting dead period extended through May 31, Bonner can not take official visits to campuses, so he is staying in touch with schools via phone, text, social media and virtual visits.

“Right now I am just conversating with a ton of coaches, just trying to continue to build relationships with the coaches of the schools I have offers with,” Bonner said. “Since I can’t visit them right now the best way to move forward right now is just talking to them.”

Arkansas has four 2022 commits, including Cedar Grove athlete Rashod Dubinion (5-10, 180, 4.3 40-yard dash).

“They are getting a dominant player and an all-around athlete,” Bonner said of Dubinion. “I would say he is a man-child himself.”

Smith and the Razorbacks are also after two other 2022 four-star Saints in junior defensive end Joshua White (6-5, 260) and junior defensive tackle Christen Miller (6-5, 280). They have also offered a pair of 2023 prospects in sophomore cornerback Kaylin Lee (6-0, 160) and sophomore linebacker Raul Aguirre (6-2, 215).

“We have a lot of talent on our team,” noted Bonner, whose is teammates with Georgia 2022 linebacker commit CJ Washington (6-2, 220).

White has a final six of Arkansas, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Mississippi State and Nebraska and is currently planning to make a decision March or April.

“Josh is just dominant on the line,” Bonner said. “He has great size, is quick off the line and is going to get to the football. Just a great player overall.”

Smith led Cedar Grove to state titles in 2016 and 2018 before defensive coordinator Patrick took over as coach and guided the Saints to a state championship in 2019.

Cedar Grove lost only one game in 2020, but had to forfeit four games due to an ineligible player and officially finished 4-5. Last season ended with a 16-13 loss to Crisp County, whose star was current Razorbacks early enrollee linebacker Christopher Paul.

“Really we just have to continue to keep working and get better every day,” Bonner said. “Then just execute when it is time to play. If we do that, we should have no problem getting back and winning state.”