Newcomer LBs look to make up for UA’s losses
If there’s one question University of Arkansas fans often voice, it’s the linebacker position after seeing two major contributors and two backups entering the NCAA transfer portal from the position
Chris Paul Jr. and Jaheim Thomas combined for 164 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hurries and 3 pass breakups this past season. Paul started 9 of 12 games.
Thomas, who had a teamhigh 90 tackles on the season, started 10 games but not the last two games against Florida International and Missouri. He didn’t record any stats in the Florida International contest and had 3 unassisted tackles against the Tigers.
Jordan Crook recorded 28 tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. Paul transferred to Ole Miss, Thomas to Wisconsin and Crook to Arizona State.
Mani Powell played in 10 games and had 5 tackles for the season. He has yet to announce his next destination.
While Paul and Thomas are major losses, the Hogs do have some young but unproven linebackers on the roster and coming in from the 2024 recruiting class. So far, the Hogs have added former Georgia linebacker Xavian Sorey to the roster through the portal.
Sorey, 6-3, 220 pounds, made official visits to Fayetteville and Miami before choosing and signing with the Hogs.
He started 2 games for Georgia this season as a redshirt sophomore and recorded 19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 pass deflection.
Sorey saw action as a reserve linebacker and on kick coverage in 12 of 15 games in 2022 as a redshirt freshman. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
As a senior at IMG Academy in Florida, Sorey, a consensus 4-star recruit, was ESPN’s No. 3 athlete and the No. 21 overall prospect in the nation in the 2021 class.
He inked with the Bulldogs over scholarship offers from Alabama, Florida, LSU, Clemson, Texas A&M, Tennessee and other programs.
He is the No. 9 linebacker and rated the No. 122 overall player in the portal, according to On3.com’s industry ranking, which combines the four recruiting services.
Coach Sam Pittman said the Hogs wanted to add another linebacker from the portal during his signing day press conference on Dec. 20. That was before Thomas entered the portal on Dec. 30.
While the Jan. 3-7 visit window for transfers was the focus, Arkansas could still bring in transfers in for visits when the dead period is lifted on Friday. Classes start at Arkansas on Jan. 16, but the last day to enroll for the spring semester is Jan. 22.
Transfers will have the opportunity to enter the portal again on April 16-30. The Hogs added three transfers to the roster during the spring of 2022 and six in 2023.
The Razorbacks inked high school linebackers Bradley Shaw, 6-0, 220 pounds, of Hoover, Ala., Justin Logan, 6-2, 213 pounds of Kell High School in Kennesaw, Ga., and Wyatt Simmons, 6-1, 213 pounds of Harding Academy in Searcy.
Shaw signed with the Hogs on Dec. 20 but waited to announce his signing on Christmas Day. He had other scholarship offers from Georgia, Clemson, Alabama, Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M, Stanford, Ole Miss, Southern Cal, South Carolina, Tennessee and other programs.
ESPN rated him the No. 6 inside linebacker and the No. 188 overall prospect in the nation in the 2024 class.
Logan picked the Hogs over scholarship offers from Missouri, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Indiana, North Carolina, West Virginia and other programs in August. He’s a consensus 3-star recruit.
While Simmons in a consensus 3-star recruit, an argument could be made is the the most underrated prospect the Hogs signed for the 2024 class.
His speed and ability to close on the ball is not that of a 3-star prospect.
He picked the Razorbacks over 20 plus scholarship offers from schools like Texas, Clemson, Southern Cal, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Miami, Florida State and Auburn.
Logan plans to enroll at Arkansas in this month while Shaw and Simmons will enroll after the spring semester.
The 2023 class of linebacker signees Brad Spence, Carson Dean and Alex Sanford have the ability to be contributors next season.
Spence, 6-2, 237 pounds, played in 11 games and had 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a recovered fumble along with an 85-yard interception for a score against Western Carolina.
Dean, 6-4, 237 pounds, has unusual speed for someone of his size. He recorded a 10.74-second split in the 4x100-meter relay and a 22.1-second split in the 800-meter relay as a junior in high school.
Coach Sam Pittman praised Spence and Dean during fall practice last year.
Sanford, 6-1, 227 pounds, also received praise from Pittman prior to last season while defensive coordinator Travis Williams mentioned Sanford standing out during last summer workouts.
Redshirt freshman Kaden Henley, 6-2, 230 pounds, hasn’t recorded any stats so far.