Bentonville receiver CJ Brown will kick off his five official campus visits with one to the University of Arkansas this weekend.
Brown, 6-1, 180 pounds, has unofficially visited the Hogs several times during the recruiting process, including watching a spring practice in March.
Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman and receivers coach Kenny Guiton have been consistent in his recruitment.
“I talk to them it feels like every single day,” Brown said. “My relationship with them recruiting has been amazing. I can’t complain at all.”
All expenses on the 48-hour allotted official visits are paid for prospects and family members. Brown said his mother, grandmother and younger sister will accompany him to Fayetteville.
“The things I want to accomplish, I already know Coach Guiton and Coach Pittman really well,” Brown said. “Just kind of get a feel for the life as an athlete. Get some opinions from the players and see what they think about it for sure.”
Brown holds scholarship offers from Arkansas, Tennessee, Minnesota, Kansas State, Louisville, Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt, Purdue and several others.
He’s one of 10 in-state prospects in the 2024 class who have offers from the Razorbacks. Pittman and staff make sure to stress the statewide support of the Hogs.
“That’s always a selling pitch for Arkansas in general,” Brown said. “It’s the only logo here. Like in Texas, there’s four or five schools and then they have professional teams where Arkansas has that one logo, the Razorbacks and of course, they’ve used me being 25 minutes away from the school as an advantage.”
Brown, an on3.com 3-star recruit, had 75 catches for 1,284 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior.
He got a firsthand look at Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos’ offense during his March visit and said he liked what he saw.
“It would be a great fit, I think in his offense. I can play slot or the outside, so a lot of versatility,” Brown said. “I just really liked it.”
Brown said he will officially visit Vanderbilt on June 9-11, Minnesota on June 12-14, Oklahoma State on June 16-18 and Kansas State on June 23-25.
He plans to announce his college decision on June 30 at Life Church in Rogers with the public invited.
Brown said if he was to describe his recruitment as a chart, it would be flat for his first 15 1/2 years and then suddenly with the offers coming in, the line on the chart steadily going up.
“If there’s anyway I can put it, that’s how it is,” he said. “You just to have patience until your time comes and not rush anything. Let it come to you. Your time will come if you trust God.”
While he learn patience from his recruiting process, Brown said he tries to do the same with other life experiences while having a glass half-full mentality.
“If you’re always looking for something negative, you’re obviously not going to get positive,” Brown said. “What are in your thoughts, turn into actions. If you’re always negative, actions are always gong to be negative and outcomes are always going to be negative.”