Junior prospects garner attention

THE RECRUITING GUY

KELLER, Texas — The recruiting process heated up for junior prospects when college coaches could start making contact with them Sept. 1.

For receiver DJ Graham, a University of Arkansas target Keller Central in Texas, it’s been a treat to communicate with coaches he grew up watching on television.

“It was surreal, all these colleges texting my phone,” Graham said. “When I was a little kid, I really didn’t know about the recruiting process or anything like that because no one really told me about it. As I got older, I was seeing other guys talking about it. I was like, this might could be me.”

Graham, 6-1, 180 pounds, has scholarship offers from Arkansas, LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Miami and others. He’s been communicating with Coach Chad Morris, receivers coach Justin Stepp and others on the staff.

“We’ve been building a relationship,” Graham said. “It’s so much easier now since they can text you.”

He visited the Hogs in the spring of 2017 and has plans to make a return trip.

“The campus is beautiful,” Graham said. “It was beautiful. I’m not going to lie, and it’s such an easy drive. The scenery, the hills, the trees. It’s different from Texas.”

The Razorbacks aggressive approach in recruiting has Graham interested in Arkansas.

“I’ve only been up there once, but they constantly keep in touch,” he said. “OU and LSU, they do the same, and probably Notre Dame.”

Keller Central Coach Brat Helsley said Graham’s ability to play the ball in the air separates him from others.

“His ball skills are incredible, so he’s able to make a play on the ball,” Helsley said. “If the ball is in the air, he’s more than likely going to come down with it.”

Graham had 27 catches for 556 yards and 6 touchdowns as a sophomore. He has a 3.5 grade-point average.

TE ON RADAR

Junior tight end Elijah Yelverton was able to look at the sideline of his game Friday and see Arkansas tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr.

Lunney and some other coaches on the staff attended games of several prospects and commitments before the Texas A&M game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington,Texas.

“Right now, I’m definitely interested,” Yelverton said. “I couldn’t rank interest in teams right now, but I’m definitely interested in Arkansas.

Yelverton, 6-5, 235 pounds, of Dallas Bishop Dunne has scholarship offers from Arkansas, LSU, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Arizona State, Iowa, Nebraska and others.

He heard from Coach Chad Morris, Lunney and offensive analyst Will Bryant on Sept. 1, the first day coaches could contact junior prospects.

“We had a game that night and right afterwards, at like 12:01 or 12 o’clock, I get a text from Arkansas, ‘Hey Elijah, how’s it going?’ ” Yelverton said.

Morris is one of the few head coaches who communicates with him.

“Out of the 19, there’s definitely not a lot of them that do, but it’s always great when a head coach texts you,” Yelverton said. “It’s a great feeling.”

His teammate and Hogs junior running back target Jaden Hullaby plans to attend Arkansas’ game against Alabama in Fayetteville on Saturday. Yelverton said he might ride with Hullaby and visit, too.

Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com