The Recruiting Guy

Texas DB set to make third UA visit

2024 4-star prospect Ka’Davion Dotson

Arkansas 4-star junior defensive back target Ka’Davion Dotson isn’t fazed by the 11 a.m. kickoff for the LSU game on Nov. 12.

He is planning to be in Fayetteville to visit the Razorbacks.

Dotson said he is motivated to make his third visit to Arkansas this year because of his relationship with Razorbacks cornerbacks coach Dominique Bowman, who visited his school the day before the Texas A&M game in September.

“Coach Bowman and I have been in contact a lot lately,” said Dotson, who visited Fayetteville on back-to-back weekends in March. “He came by the school about a month ago. Coach Bowman is my guy. That’s one of my Day 1 guys.

“We have a good relationship. Me and Coach Bowman can talk about anything.”

Dotson, 5-11, 185 pounds, of Duncanville, Texas, has more than 20 scholarship offers from Arkansas, Texas, Southern Cal, Missouri, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Kansas State and other schools.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman is one of two head coaches who communicates with Dotson’s mother. A recent text from Pittman to her urged her and her son to visit.

“No other head coach texts her except Coach [Brian] Kelly from LSU,” Dotson said. “When she gets texts from head coaches, she really gets excited about that.”

A consensus 4-star prospect by the four major recruiting services, Dotson is considered the No. 17 safety and No. 197 overall prospect in the nation in the 2024 class, according to On3.com.

He recorded 26 tackles, 3 interceptions and 4 pass breakups as a sophomore for the 6A Division I runner-up Panthers.

Dotson’s cousin, Peso Dotson, is a junior at Arkansas and constantly in his ear about being a Razorback. Arkansas linebacker Jordan Crook and his mom are also pluses for the program.

When Dotson talks to Bowman, he said it’s about more than football.

“Coach Bowman has given me keys to life,” Dotson said. “It doesn’t always have to be about football.”

Crook, his former teammate and a freshman linebacker, reminded Dotson the Razorbacks had three home games in row to help close out the season and suggested that he attend the LSU contest.

“He’s loving it up there,” Dotson said of Crook. “He’s just trusting the process and waiting patiently. He said any time he steps on the field he said he tries to make sure he makes a play.”

At the end of his season, Dotson is expected to narrow his list of schools.

“I’m about to narrow my list to a top 10,” Dotson said, “at probably the end of the playoffs.”

The Razorbacks look to be in good shape to make the cut and possibly future lists.

“I feel like Arkansas has always been in the mix because that’s a school that came and grabbed me and showed me, like, how college life really is,” Dotson said.

Bowman foresaw Dotson being a top-rated prospect.

“Coach Bowman told me before I got my four stars that I was going to be that dude,” he said.