Nick Fulwider at a glance

CLASS Freshman

POSITION Defensive end HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-7, 249 pounds HOMETOWN Tyrone, Ga.

HIGH SCHOOL Sandy Creek

AGE 18

NOTEWORTHY

One of the eight players who signed early as part of Chad Morris’ first signing class. … Offers included Tennessee, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Michigan State, West Virginia, Wisconsin and others. … Consensus Top 40 defensive end as rated by Rivals and 247Sports. … Son of Henry and Diahann Fulwider. … Had 33 tackles, including a sack and four quarterback hurries, as a senior in 2017. He had 46 tackles and 9 sacks as a junior. coach John Scott, who was retained from former coach Bret Bielema’s staff.

“It was kind of a crazy time,” said Fulwider, who said he had second thoughts about the transition. “I mean, yeah, but you know, what if it isn’t a bad thing? What if that’s what Arkansas needs?”

The NCAA’s first early signing period opened Dec. 20, and Fulwider de-committed from North Carolina.

He called his grandfather to tell him the news: He was going to play for the Razorbacks.

“He didn’t like it,” Fulwider said with a laugh. “No, he came to the signing. Him and my grandma came up the day before and spent the night, then went to the signing day.”

Fulwider announced his commitment to Arkansas on Dec. 22, the last day of the early signing period, behind a bluetarped table at Sandy Creek High.

At the start of the summer, the Fulwiders loaded up the family car and made the 10-hour haul from Georgia to Arkansas to drop Nick off for summer workouts.

Everything was energizing, even receiving equipment.

“It’s a lot better than high school,” he said. “First off, you don’t have to buy anything. And they take so much time getting the player’s needs, check the measurements are OK. Some games [in high school], I had to squeeze into cleats. I made it work.”

Fulwider said Scott thinks he will play as a true defensive end, depending on “how I pick up weight.” Fulwider isn’t certain whether he will redshirt or play right away, but “I wouldn’t be mad to redshirt, go ahead and get my academics together. Win-win either way.”

But before the season begins, he’s thinking of going back to his grandfather’s and helping him complete that Jeep.

“Maybe if I get some free time, I’ll stop by Alabama and go ahead and finish up,” Fulwider said.