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Arkansas makes splash, earn commitments from trio of in-state athletes

New Razorbacks coach pulls through on early recruiting promise in first day in charge of the Razorbacks
Jacob Davis|
Memphis Tigers coach Ryan Silverfield looks on against the Navy Midshipmen during the first half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Memphis Tigers coach Ryan Silverfield looks on against the Navy Midshipmen during the first half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — New Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield made his first recruiting splash Monday with the commitment of 4-star defensive lineman Danny Beale. 

Beale’s pledge is an early exclamation mark on a promise Silverfield made Monday morning on the Chuck and Bo Show. 

"We're going to put together one of the best signing classes in Arkansas history, and we're going to be able to do that in a 3-day period. I think the fans are going to be blown away.

Beale, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive lineman, chose the Razorbacks after a months-long reassessment of his future following his decommitment from Oklahoma State.

He also had interest from teams across the SEC landscape including Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU Tennessee, Missouri, along with North Carolina State, Oregon, Oklahoma State and several other national programs.

The Northeast Arkansas native is the No. 116 overall player in the 2026 class, No. 15 among defensive tackles, and the top player in the Natural State, according to 247sports rankings.

Silverfield was also able to flip 4-star running back TJ Hodges from Battle Line rival Missouri.

He is a 4-star out of Bryant with a current ranking as the No. 354 prospect, No. 26 at his position and No. 3 player in Arkansas.  

Hodges fielded 19 offers before pledging to the Razorbacks with Missouri, Auburn, Baylor, Florida State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Syracuse and more expressing interest. 

The Razorbacks made a third recruiting splash Monday with the commitment of 3-star linebacker Jakore Smith. 

Smith, who attends Bryant High School, was recently pledged to Oklahoma before making his decision to stay home. He is the No. 571 overall player in the class, No. 49 among linebackers and No. 8 ranked prospect in Arkansas. 

The former Arkansas staff lacked interest in recruiting in-state athletes, but the 2026 cycle has proven to be fruitful with several players evaluated as 4-stars. 

This is the first cycle since 2023 that the Razorbacks will have earned the commitment of the state’s top player. 

Beale’s Scouting Report

On film, Beale brings a combination of first-step quickness and lower-body strength that allows him to anchor against the run while creating interior disruption. 

His production has remained steady over the past two seasons as he’s developed into a reliable backfield presence with a frame built for SEC play. 

Most programs view him as a player who can slide across multiple positions depending on personnel groupings and scheme.

“Displays impressive functional athleticism that shows in movement ability and pursuit range on defense. Quite raw technically. Ideally will expand move set as a rusher, though ultimate role could be an interior space eater.

Will need time to develop physically and technically, but possesses valuable traits that point to a high-major D-line piece who checks boxes in traits, multi-phase, multi-sport, and functional athleticism categories to suggest significant long-term potential.”

Hodges scouting report

Bryant's star tailback proved to be an electric addition when he transferred in from Marked Tree his senior year. He had 100 carries for 902 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

“[Hodges] is a Power Four caliber running back prospect with verified speed and a natural feel for the position. Could provide a big-play threat in college, especially if coupled with a power-oriented complementary piece that enhances his athleticism out of the backfield.”
Gabe Brooks, 247sports

Smith’s scouting report

He will have the luxury of sitting behind redshirt freshman linebacker Wyatt Simmons. The Searcy product saw his playing time pick up after former interim Coach Bobby Petrino hired Chris Wilson as defensive coordinator in September. 

Where Smith separates himself is in space. He has a natural feel in coverage, whether he’s sitting in zone windows or matching backs in the flat, and that flexibility gives him value in multiple packages. 

He plays fast, instinctive, and rarely looks out of place while patrolling the defense’s second level.

“Run-and-hit linebacker with obvious pursuit juice and functional athleticism. On the smaller end of the linebacker spectrum, but owns enough size/frame potential to fit a modern off-ball role. Flashes violent striking ability. Flies around as a second-level sheriff who triggers quickly and arrives with pop. Possibly fits a modern spacebacker role that allows for matching up in the short-to-intermediate passing game. Still, thrives when pursuing to the sidelines and downhill. Flying relatively blind in regards to a catalog of third party-verified data. Previously measured in the 6-foot, 190-pound neighborhood. Could be physically limited relative to other 2026 linebackers, but represents a potential every-down second-level defender who plays with a ton of juice and a nasty field demeanor. Projects to the P4 level with the capability to become a quality starter who could possibly play beyond college.”
Gabe Brooks, 247sports

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

Jacob Davis is a reporter for Arkansas Razorbacks on SI, with a decade of experience covering high school and transfer portal recruiting. He has previously worked at Rivals, Saturday Down South, SB Nation and hosted podcasts with Bleav Podcast Network where his show was a finalist for podcast of the year. Native of El Dorado, he currently resides in Central Arkansas with his wife and daughter.

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