LB commits to Hogs
Martavius French of Memphis Whitehaven became the second linebacker to commit to Arkansas’ 2020 recruiting class Tuesday. Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates French as a 4-star prospect.
University of Arkansas Coach Chad Morris and staff received their second linebacker commitment for the 2020 class with Martavius French’s pledge to the Hogs.
Fellow Tennessean and linebacker Drew Francis committed to the Razorbacks late Saturday night. French, 6-2, 236 pounds, 4.7 seconds in the 40yard dash, of Memphis Whitehaven had scholarship offers from Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU, Oklahoma, Florida and others.
His relationship with Morris, defensive coordinator John Chavis, special assistant Sean Tuohy and other staff convinced him Fayetteville was where he needed to be.
“It’s just a feeling you can have inside that they’re really like family,” French said. “They’re not just feeding me just any information or feeding me any lies. They’re telling me the whole truth and showing me how it is.”
He’s expected to visit Fayetteville for the Fall Kickoff Cookout on Friday. He previously visited on March 9 and for the Alabama game last fall along with another trip in the spring.
He had 135 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles and 2 recovered fumbles as a junior for the Tigers, who finished as state runner-up in Class 6A. He and teammate and Hogs linebacker target Bryson Eason have been named to preseason high school Butkus Award Watch List.
French recorded 53 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, one sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a sophomore. National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates French a 4-star prospect.
“He’s been in my magazine for the past three years,” said Lemming, who’s been covering the national recruiting scene since 1978. “He has good size, can run to the ball and make plays. He plays for one of the top programs in Tennessee. He’s an All-American caliber linebacker.”
Memphis Whitehaven will be at North Little Rock on Sept. 6 for a nonconference game. It will be the second consecutive season that French and the Tigers have visited North Little Rock.
French becomes Arkansas’ 14th commitment for the 2020 class. Oral commitments are nonbinding.