Oklahoma OL gives Hogs thorough look

THE RECRUITING GUY

Arkansas Razorback offensive line target Owen Condon has visited Fayetteville twice and plans to make a third trip before he makes his college decision this summer.

Condon, 6-7, 315 pounds, of Oklahoma City Bishop McGuinness received, a scholarship offer from the Hogs in January and has numerous other offers, including schools like Georgia, Arizona State, TCU, Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt.

He visited Fayetteville and saw Arkansas’ 31-10 victory over Florida last season and returned to Fayetteville with his mother Sheri on April 1. Right now, he’s focused on spring practice, but has his eye on the next trip to Fayetteville.

“Once summer gets here, I’m going to get back to Arkansas before I make my decision, and I’m also going to visit Georgia because those are the only other two places where I haven’t seen everything,” Condon said. Defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads visited Condon’s school on Monday and offensive line coach Kurt Anderson visited the week before. Condon said he’s seen enough of TCU to know the Horned Frogs are a finalists for his services.

Texas is a fourth school that could be a finalist if it extends an offer. The Longhorns are expected to visit Condon’s school today.

“I visited down there and I really like it,” Condon said. “I don’t know if they’re going to offer or not, but if they do offer they would be in the conversation.”

Condon said he feels confident any of the four schools would be a good fit for him.

“I feel like I can go to any of those places and be perfectly fine and happy,” Condon said. “I think I could excel at all the places.”

Condon said his mother came away impressed with Coach Bret Bielema and Anderson on the last visit.

“She liked how genuine Coach B and Coach Anderson were,” Condon said. “We talked with them both for probably 30 to 45 minutes each and she really liked both of them. She was saying how she thought they were really genuine guys and how they’re straight up about the process.”

Condon reports that he recently maxed out at 300 pounds on the bench press, 450 squat, 255 incline bench and 300 for the power clean. Condon said he knows what he wants to experience on his third Fayetteville visit.

“I think getting some time to hang out with the players would be good because those are the guys I’m going to be around a lot while I’m there,” Condon said. “Then I also didn’t get to see any of the dorms while I was there. That would be kind of nice to check out and more quality time with the coaches and getting to know them and getting a better relationship with them is always important.”

Condon said Bielema and Anderson have made him feel like a priority.

“Coach Anderson told me I’m one of his top guys and he would be thrilled to have me commit there,” Condon said.

FAST AND FURIOUS

The Hogs recently extended a scholarship offer to defensive prospect Andrew Johnson, an athlete they would like to see man an outside linebacker position.

“I have a high interest in, like, all of the schools that’s offered me,” Johnson said. “I really haven’t narrowed anything down.”

Johnson, 6-2, 222, 4.65 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Tifton (Ga.) Tift County, reports more than 20 offers from schools like Alabama, Georgia, Florida State and Missouri, among others. He said a trip to Fayetteville is likely.

“Most definitely, I’m going to try and get there sometime this summer when I have time,” Johnson said.

Defensive line coach John Scott Jr. is his lead recruiter.

Johnson said he was told by Scott that Arkansas was a great place.

“And with my type of skills, I would fit in well in the defensive scheme,” Johnson said.

Johnson recorded 49 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries, 2 forced fumbles and a recovered fumble as a junior defensive lineman for the Blue Devils.

He was selected to play for the Under-18 U.S. National Team at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. in January for the 2017 North American Championship against Canada.

Johnson’s video highlights show excellent quickness, speed to the ball and relentless effort. On one play, he chased down a ball carrier 76 yards down field.

“It looked like he was about to score, so I had to go get it,” Johnson said. … “A lot of coaches don’t expect it. Sometimes it’s even shocking to me. I didn’t know I had that much in me.”

Johnson, an admitted computer geek who is considering computer engineering as a field of study, said he once fixed his own laptop.

“It started working fine after that,” he said.

Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

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