Florida defensive end also a basketball standout
Arkansas has been relentless in trying to lure defensive end Jordan Wright to Fayetteville. They’ll get their best shot when he and his parents arrive today for this weekend’s official visit.
Wright, 6-5, 240 pounds of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Florida, Miami, Florida State, Michigan, Alabama, Michigan State, Southern Cal and, Oklahoma among others.
The Hogs were the third school to offer Wright a scholarship in November of 2015.
“We have been communicating since the day I got the offer,” Wright said. “Also, I like the caliber of curriculum and the internship and career opportunities.”
Arkansas linebackers Randy Ramsey and Josh Williams both attended Dillard, where Wright has a 3.2 grade point average. He plans to major in sports medicine.
“My parents always preached to me that it’s nice to make it to the professional league, but you can’t rely on that because you can’t play sports your whole life, but having a education can take you very far,” Wright said.
The Orlando Sentinel named Wright to its first team in Class 6A for basketball as a junior after he averaged 19 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals. He has more than 10 basketball offers, including Virginia Tech and North Carolina-Wilmington.
Wright and his parents hosted Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves for an in-home visit Tuesday evening.
“It was good,” Wright said. “We just talked about what they see me playing and some academic stuff.”
He likes how Hargreaves has recruited him.
“He’s a real good dude. He makes sure my family is doing all right and just talks about life more than football and that’s a good thing,” Wright said.
Bielema has a strong tradition of recruiting south Florida since the late 90’s. He signed his first prospect with Iowa in 1999, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) South Plantation defensive lineman Colin Cole.
During the process, Wright formed a strong relationship with Ken Scott, who started coaching at Dillard in 1979. He also coached at other area schools and was the head coach at the school from 19911994 and 1996-1999.
Wright noticed Scott, who’s Dillard’s defensive coordinator, catching up with Bielema while visiting the school.
“Yeah, they [were] having a long conversation,” Wright said.
Wright had 30 tackles and 25 sacks this season along with 3 forced fumbles and
6 touchdowns at tight end. Communication with Bielema has been consistent.
“It’s been good talking to him mostly every day actually,” Wright said. “I talked to him on Thanksgiving. He was saying be thankful for my family and everything I’ve been achieving. He can’t wait for me to come up for my visit.”
He officially visited Kentucky in September and is considering a visit to Miami.
WEEKEND OFFICIAL VISITS
Arkansas will host at least three other prospects this weekend for official visits.
Defensive lineman and Florida commit Javier Edwards, 6-3, 350 pounds, of Blinn College in Brenham,
Texas, is expected to visit.
He was recruited by defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads out of Houston Aldine Davis while Rhoads was the head coach at Iowa State.
Because he was close to qualifying, he was planning to sign with Blinn and the Cyclones in 2015, but Rhoads was fired at Iowa State last year.
Two Arkansas commitments, quarterback Daulton Hyatt of Attalla (Alabama) Etowah and athlete Jarrod Barnes of Cabot also will make the trip to Fayetteville.
Hyatt, 6-4, 182, 4.62, of Attalla (Alabama) Etowah is expected to enroll at Arkansas in January and go through spring practice.
ESPN rates him as the No. 9 pocket-passer and the No. 150 overall prospect in the nation.
Barnes, 5-11, 173, 4.52, will likely start out at receiver at Arkansas, but could also play cornerback.
WOODS TO ANNOUNCE
Major safety target J’Marick Woods will announce his college decision at 8:45 a.m. today during a ceremony at his school in Florence, Ala.
He will decide among Arkansas, Mississippi State and Michigan, which he has been committed to since March.
Woods, 6-4, 205, 4.6, has approximately 16 scholarship offers from Arkansas, Michigan, Florida, Tennessee, LSU,
Vanderbilt, Duke and Penn State, among others.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and the entire defensive staff visited Florence High School and had dinner with Woods and his family Monday.
Mississippi State defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon and safeties coach Maurice Linguist visited Woods on Tuesday, while Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive backs coach Brian Smith visited him Wednesday.
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com