Cisse Looking to Separate Among Crowded Receiver Razorback Receiver Room

Stanford transfer becomes intriguing candidate for Arkansas at wideout

Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Ismael Cisse (84) scores a touchdown against the Cal Poly Mustangs during the second half at Stanford Stadium. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The top eight players with the most receiving yards from the 2024 Arkansas football team are either out of eligibility or no longer with the team.

The leading returner is wide receiver Jordan Anthony with just 111 yards and coach Sam Pittman threw a big question mark over his future involvement with the team as he is currently not with the team. Anthony is currently with the track team as a sprinter.

"I don’t know," coach Sam Pittman said about his future with the team. "We’ll go down that path as it moves on. I think he’s doing so well in track that we’ll kind of cross that bridge when it comes. I know they’re awful proud of him, and they should be, for what he’s done in track."

Anthony recently won the 60 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Va.

That leaves running back Rodney Hill as the true leading returner with just eight catches for 68 yards out of the backfield.

Pittman brought in plenty of help. Raylen Sharpe, O'mega Blake and Kam Shanks took the headlines transferring in from mid-major schools, but the only player with true Power Four football experience is Stanford transfer Ismael Cisse. He caught 26 passes for 241 yards with two touchdowns last year with the Cardinal.

Ismael Cisse pays off the 4th Down attempt @StanfordFBall | #GoStanford 🌲pic.twitter.com/eAQLYsqud6

— Collin Wilson (@_Collin1) August 31, 2024

Cisse, a three-star transfer according to 247Sports, went slightly under the radar amongst all the movement throughout the portal season but has really made an impression on the team since the start of spring ball.

"He's gotta be a big part of our offense," Pittman said. "He's earned that in a way that he's practiced to this point. He's a mature guy that goes about his business, doesn't say a whole lot, but he's a big, physical guy."

Most of Cisse's reps in fastball have been with the second group, but he still remains an intruging candidate as Arkansas comes to terms with life after Andrew Armstrong, who declared for the NFL Draft after leading the SEC in receiving with 1,140 yards.

"We’re still trying to figure that out right now," Pittman said about his receiver group. "I could probably tell you five that I — maybe six — that I’d go, ‘OK, those are the guys that we’re going to put on the field if we played a true game on Saturday."

The team will practice inside Razorback Stadium 10 a.m. Saturday as practice continues, but considering the weather in Northwest Arkansas it wouldn't be shocking if that is moved indoors.

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