Arkansas Rebuilt Its Secondary, But Front Seven Will Have Final Say

Hogs cleared ankle-high bar they set for themselves, but front seven decides how much higher this rebuilt secondary can actually go.

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back Miguel Mitchell in spring practice. | Munir El-Khatib-allHOGS Images

When I covered the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1980s, Everson Walls arrived as a free agent out of Grambling and made the Pro Bowl at cornerback.

People treated him like a shutdown genius. He was good, no question.

But Walls was also lining up on the same side of the field as 6-foot-9 defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones, one of the most disruptive pass rushers of his era.

Cornerbacks didn't roam all over the field in coverages back then and Walls was on Jones' side nearly every play he was with the Cowboys for years.

When Jones retired, Walls wasn't nearly the same player. Quarterbacks had time to throw and coverage that once looked airtight became ordinary fast.

That lesson applies directly to Fayetteville right now. The Razorbacks' secondary is better heading into 2026.

But the front seven will decide how much better it actually looks, because a cornerback covering a receiver for three seconds is a completely different assignment than covering that same receiver for five.

Dallas Cowboys defensive back Everson Walls (24) on the field during the 1982 NFC Championship Game against the Washington Redskins at RFK Stadium. | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

The Bar Was Sitting at Ankle Height

Arkansas finished 13th out of 16 SEC programs in passing yards allowed last season at 239.3 per game, which was actually an improvement over 2024 when the Hogs were dead last at 246.9.

Going from worst to third-worst isn't a turnaround. It's treading water.

The interception numbers were ugly.

The Razorbacks finished 15th in the SEC with just six picks all season, tying for 105th nationally out of 136 programs.

The Hogs had only two interceptions over nine games against Notre Dame and SEC opponents. It's not a stretch to wonder if opposing quarterbacks didn't accidentally throw more than that directly to them.

They had two picks total in the final eight games. That's not a rough stretch. That's a secondary that couldn't take the ball away from anyone.

Speed data explains a lot. Starting cornerback Kani Walker ran a 4.57 at Arkansas Pro Day.

Starting safety Larry Worth ran a 4.66. Starting nickel Caleb Wooden clocked a 4.69 and starting nickel Jordan Young a 4.78.

Julian Neal, the one corner taken in April's NFL Draft at No. 99 overall, ran a 4.49 at the Combine and was the only senior defensive back who broke the 4.5 barrier. Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant, at 290 pounds, ran a faster 40 than Young.

Arkansas' three fastest defensive backs in Catapult speed data — Miguel Mitchell at 22.3 mph, Keshawn Davila at 22.2 and Selman Bridges at 22.0 — were all backups, not starters.

Arkansas Razorbacks corner back Julian Neal during fall camp practices at the indoor workout center in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs On SI Images

The New Faces

Mitchell is the only returning player from last year's group. He finished 2025 with 52 tackles, one sack and an interception while starting three of 12 games.

He's competing with West Georgia transfer Kyeaure Magloire, a 6-foot-3, 203-pound former cornerback turned safety who had 42 tackles and two interceptions last season.

Cincinnati transfer Christian Harrison is expected to start at the other safety spot after starting all 12 games for the Bearcats with 66 tackles, seven pass breakups and an interception.

Safety depth is thin enough that the Hogs also added East Mississippi Community College's Jathan Hatch as a late pickup.

The cornerback room is where Arkansas made its most convincing upgrades.

Tulane transfer Jahiem Johnson, 6-foot and 191 pounds, was rated a four-star transfer and ranked No. 9 at cornerback in the entire portal after helping Tulane reach the College Football Playoff.

Maryland transfer La'khi Roland chose Arkansas over Ohio State, Georgia Tech and Pitt, finishing last season with 21 tackles and three interceptions in 11 games as a true sophomore.

Clemson transfer Shelton Lewis self-redshirted in 2025 and enters as a redshirt junior with starting experience going back to 2023. JUCO transfer DJ Hairston Jr. from Hinds Community College was one of the surprises of spring drills.

At the star spot (a gimmick to rename to the nickel) four-star transfer Khmori House led North Carolina with 81 tackles as a team captain while starting all 12 games last season.

Defensive coordinator Ron Roberts recruited him twice before landing him and has said he believes House will play in the NFL.

Carter Stoutmire, who started seven games at Colorado last season with 38 tackles and five pass breakups, is the backup nickel.

Tyler Scott, a former four-star Auburn signee who transferred through Georgia State, is next in line after missing most of 2024 with a torn ACL.

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive coordinator Ron Roberts at spring practice. | Munir El-Khatib-allHOGS Images

Better, But by How Much?

New personnel helps, but it doesn't solve everything on its own. Arkansas actually has more position groups actually in worse condition.

Very few people actually point out the most important part about the secondary. They can only be as good as the group in front of them.

It's kinda like All-American quarterbacks need blockers and quarterbacks need wide receivers. Not everybody can be an all-conference player but they at least have to be able to do their jobs.

These Razorbacks defensive backs can only perform as well as the front seven allows them to.

Walls, who came from a SWAC school, wasn't drafted and looked like a shutdown corner when Jones was collapsing the pocket in Dallas. Imagine being a quarterback and trying to throw over him.

The moment that changed, so did Walls.

Until Arkansas proves its defensive front can generate consistent pressure, the secondary's ceiling stays exactly where the pass rush sets it .

That bar's been sitting at ankle height long enough.