FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas freshman receiver Isaiah Sategna appears to be acclimating quickly to college football.
Coach Sam Pittman alluded to Sategna’s play on multiple occasions during a meeting with reporters following the Razorbacks’ first practice in full pads Thursday. Pittman included Sategna as one of multiple receivers who are producing in practice.
“Isaiah Sategna is going to be a good player,” Pittman said. “I don’t know when, but it could be (the Sept. 3 season opener) against Cincinnati, it could be next year — I don’t know. But he’s done a really good job."
Pittman indicated Sategna caught a touchdown during team drills Thursday. During another point in individual work, he showed good balance to keep his feet inbounds as he hauled in a back-shoulder pass in front of a pylon — a catch that earned an attaboy from his position coach, Kenny Guiton.
Sategna, a 5-11, 173-pound slot receiver caught 100 passes for 1,908 yards and 17 touchdowns last season at Fayetteville High School. His yardage total was best among all high school receivers in the nation.
Unlike most of his classmates, Sategna did not go through spring practice earlier this year. He opted instead to run track and won state championships in the long jump, 110-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles.
Prior to practice beginning last week, Pittman said he had been impressed with Sategna’s ability to use his speed to create separation from defensive backs during summer throwing drills.
“Isaiah has very good ball skills and can separate,” Pittman said. “He's exactly what we thought he would be.”
Sategna’s speed has stood out to his position coach and his teammates. Sophomore receiver Ketron Jackson said earlier this week that Sategna was one of the three fastest receivers on the team, along with Matt Landers and Bryce Stephens.
“Track speed is different,” said Guiton, who later added, “He's running by a lot of guys and things and that's what he’s asked to do.”
Pittman has been complimentary of the entire freshman receiver class, which also includes Quincey McAdoo of Clarendon and Sam Mbake of Kennesaw, Ga.
“This group of three that we have at wideout…are all going to be really good players,” Pittman said.
“Those three wideouts that we have learned so much faster than the guys before them.”
For Sategna, that accelerated learning curve might help get him on the field quicker than what might have been expected for a player who did not go through spring ball.
“He’s really smart, so he learns fast,” said Pittman, who added, “The No. 1 thing that keeps young kids off the field is they don't know the offense…so therefore they're thinking and you're not seeing their full athletic ability.
“I know he's a smart kid, but he really picked up the offense fast.”