FAYETTEVILLE — With Arkansas' spring drills coming to a close this week, here is a review of the top moments and sequences, and players who stood out and are primed to make an impact for the Razorbacks in 2022:
Best practice performance
Sporting the recently unveiled Axiom helmet from Riddell Sports, Malik Hornsby split time at quarterback and receiver on April 7. He dazzled when in charge of Arkansas’ offense.
Hornsby finished the day as the owner of the practice’s best throws from the pocket. He had a 27-yard touchdown pass to receiver Harper Cole that was on a rope and into a tight window. It was easily the best ball I’ve seen from him in his time with the Razorbacks.
Later in the workout, Hornsby found tight end Nathan Bax down a seam for a big gain. He was in firm control of the offense and showed exactly how capable he is of running an offense. Hornsby also ran the ball effectively and escaped pressure from an improved defensive front to make precise completions.
Though he was intercepted once during the team’s 11-on-11 work by linebacker Jackson Woodard, the good from Hornsby in this practice vastly outweighed the bad. If he can bottle the magic he was working with for this two-hour stretch and showcase it a bit more consistently, it might not be enough to unseat an established starter in KJ Jefferson, but it would put some pressure on him.
Winners of the spring
• Offense: Raheim Sanders. With Dominique Johnson out for the spring, Sanders stepped in and up to lead the running backs room. Sam Pittman praised the rising sophomore for his growth not only in his ability to get north and south — he had it in 2021 — but his quick decision making and greater grasp of all that comes with the position.
Sanders has tremendous size, speed and power. And he served as a role model for young backs Rashod Dubinion and James Jointer in pass protection. Sanders maximized his time as the premier back and likely heads into training camp as the No. 1 option. He was 21 yards shy of being the Razorbacks’ leading rusher at tailback as a freshman. Big things are expected of him this fall.
• Defense: Taurean Carter/Isaiah Nichols. No two players on the defensive side were mentioned more often than these two. Drew Sanders was in the ballpark, but with a great deal of conversation centering on how Arkansas can get more pressure on the quarterback this fall, they rose up and created routine havoc in the backfield. Pittman said they simply began playing harder and with better technique, which opened avenues to make plays that perhaps were not there previously.
Carter was a regular in the offensive backfield. Nichols was, too, particularly in the spring showcase.
Carter's scrimmage ended early with a leg injury. Pittman said that day that he did not believe Carter suffered a “major, major injury.” We will have to wait and see on the severity. If he is healthy, Carter can be a mainstay. The same can be said for Nichols, who emphasized footwork and proper hand placement in workouts. Both players thrived under new defensive line coach Deke Adams.
• Special Teams: Max Fletcher. Taking in the special teams portions of the Razorbacks’ practices was interesting and provided some insight on the punting situation. Fletcher stood out. The 6-5 Australian was as good as advertised and boomed nearly every kick by punching the ball with his right foot. There was little follow-through on each kick, but the results spoke for themselves. Distance and hang time were solid, and he looked composed facing a punt-block rush.
Immediate-impact newcomers
• Offense: Jadon Haselwood. The transfer from Oklahoma wore a green no-contact top for much of the spring after driving his shoulder into the ground in an early workout. But he was consistent when on the field. Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles said all a quarterback has to do to complete a pass to Haselwood is place the ball in his general vicinity. He made a number of impressive catches in traffic, a couple in which he jumped and spun his body around to avoid contact. Picking up the playbook wasn’t an issue, Haselwood said, and teammates added he meshed well with others in the receivers room. He is a proven threat and will provide leadership in more than one way.
• Defense: Dwight McGlothern. Pittman does not bring in players from the transfer portal just to blend in. And McGlothern did not do that. According to teammates, the addition from LSU brought a high level of play and swagger to the secondary. He is the type who believes he is the best player in any 1-on-1 matchup and raises the play of teammates who share the same side of the field. McGlothern tweaked a hamstring in one of the final open practices of the spring and he did not dress out for the spring showcase. It is wise to ensure his health for the summer and fall. McGlothern ran with the first team at cornerback for a majority of the spring. He was top 10 at LSU in tackles last season and had a pick-6 against Florida. He is not afraid of contact, which bodes well as it seems likely he will replace Montaric Brown, who was solid bringing down ball carriers in the open field.
Best catch
Haselwood had several candidates. On April 7, he caught a deep ball for a touchdown from Jefferson in which he blew by his matchup. Two days earlier, Haselwood brought in a back-shoulder throw from Hornsby along the near sideline when matched up with Anthony Brown. The receiver spun his body and reeled it in with only his left hand.
Best run
Dubinion had two carries on April 5 that drew oohs and ahhs from teammates. I was sitting with Clay Henry for both of the freshman’s carries and he commented on the vision Dubinion has that is really difficult to teach. He can put his foot in the ground, make multiple defenders miss and change direction in a hurry. That is what happened on these touches. What role he plays in the fall is up in the air given the crowded room he is in, but perhaps he finds an opportunity on special teams, where shiftiness and elusiveness are paramount.
Best defensive play
This one isn’t close. In the spring showcase, Drew Sanders beat a scrambling Hornsby to a sideline and tagged him down. Pittman said afterward that he was as amazed by the play as everyone else. Sanders made a name for himself quick, fast and in a hurry this spring and has what it takes to be a strong replacement for Grant Morgan and Hayden Henry.
Breakout candidates
• Offense: Trey Knox. Early last season, it was huge news that Knox was working out with the Razorbacks’ tight ends in practices. Fast forward nearly eight months and Knox looks to be the headliner at the position, so long as he’s healthy. He missed a good bit of time this spring recovering from a concussion sustained in a car accident over Spring Break. But he was back in the mix for the final two open practices, and he suited up for the showcase. Knox showed a lot of promise in several games last season, when he caught 20 passes for 141 yards and 1 touchdown. He is Arkansas’ second-leading returning pass catcher entering 2022.
Knox has bought in to the weight gain that was necessary to fully immerse himself into the move and he said April 16 he was at nearly 240 pounds after gaining 20. He has great hands and is a cerebral player, and Jefferson already has synergy with Knox given their connection in two-minute situations last season. Knox believes he can make a lot of money playing tight end, and a productive statistical season and continued improvement as a blocking tight end would go a long way in that happening.
• Honorable mention: Wide receiver Ketron Jackson
• Defense: Drew Sanders. In two seasons on the field at Alabama, Sanders recorded 33 tackles, including 24 last season in 12 games. It is a challenge to crack the rotation at linebacker with the Crimson Tide, and he saw an opportunity with the Razorbacks and jumped at it. He has made the most of that chance. Arkansas lost a lot at the second level after last season, but does return Bumper Pool. Sanders can be an ideal running mate. Pittman raved about Sanders' ability to run sideline to sideline, and there was no better snapshot of that than the aforementioned play on Hornsby.
Sanders, who stands 6-5, is fast. Linebackers coach Michael Scherer’s bunch’s motto is “run and hit,” and he fits like a glove. Teammates said he has an edge on offensive players because of a unique swim move. If it turns out to be as effective in games as it was in spring ball, he will have himself a season and the Razorbacks will be in good shape.
• Honorable mention: Defensive back Malik Chavis