Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove WR Janiran Bonner committed to Georgia Tech on April 16, but that hasn’t kept Arkansas from continuing its pursuit of him.
Bonner, scheduled to take his official visit to Georgia Tech this weekend, was in Fayetteville on Monday with several of his teammates for a Razorback football camp.
He is a four-star prospect and top 250 player overall nationally, per 247 Sports.
“It was a great camp and some great work with Coach KG,” Bonner said of Arkansas wide receiver coach Kenny Guiton. “It was just great all around.”
Cedar Grove tailback Roshod Dubinion (5-10, 185), also on hand in Fayetteville on Monday, is pledged to Arkansas, and Bonner could see them being teammates in college as well.
“He really hasn’t tried to talk to me much, but he is my brother, for sure,” Bonner said. “There is a high-percentage chance that we will be back on the field together in college.”
Arkansas running backs coach Jimmy Smith, who led Cedar Grove to state titles as its head coach in 2016 and 2018, is recruiting the pair.
“It is just always good to see him and he is always so welcoming,” Bonner said.
Bonner has a few factors he is looking for in a college.
“I am looking for a great community and somewhere I can go and it will feel like home and I can play right away,” Bonner said. “Just somewhere I can feel like myself.”
Bonner has also been offered by Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Oregon, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Auburn, Baylor, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Colorado and other programs.
He knows of just two official visits so far.
“Actually, my first will be this Friday to GT,” Bonner said. “I am still in the process of figuring out who else I am going to visit. Most definitely looking forward to taking one to Arkansas.”
Bonner is happy to be able to visit campuses after a year of not being able to do so because of the covid-19 pandemic.
“That was kind of tough, but I just tried to stay in communication with some coaches via FaceTime since you couldn’t go on campuses,” Bonner said. “That is pretty much how it went since it just opened back up.”
He is spending the summer working on regular facets of his development.
“I am just working on my ball skills, my timing and getting in and out of breaks,” Bonner said. “I am just working on my regular game, my regular stuff and just trying to get better at everything.”
Cedar Grove has at least four D-I 2022 prospects with defensive lineman Christian Miller (6-5, 280) and Joshua White (6-5, 260) also having Arkansas offers.
The Razorbacks have also offered a pair of 2023 prospects at the school in cornerback Kaylin Lee (6-0, 160) and linebacker Raul Aguirre (6-2, 215).
Cedar Grove's 2020 season ended with a 16-13 loss to Crisp County, whose star was current Razorbacks linebacker Christopher Paul.
“We are most definitely coming back to win it all this year,” Bonner said. “That is most definitely the goal, as it is each and every year. We just want to be strong and get back to that ship.”