Silverfield Ready to Prioritize In-state Recruiting For Years to Come

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield met with the media Tuesday to discuss a variety of topics, he made sure to credit his in-state high school coaches for the talent produced for the 2026 class.

The Razorbacks signed 10 recruits inside the Natural State which is the most in a single class since signing that same amount in the 2022 cycle which included the likes of Isaiah Sategna, Andrew Chamblee, E'Marion Harris, Quincey McAdoo and many others. That shows a cultural reset Silverfield and his staff want to begin a new era of Arkansas football.

When Silverfield arrived there was no such momentum for Arkansas to even procure any of the in-state prospects, but he got to work quickly and was able to land defensive linemen Danny Beale, Anthony Kennedy, linebacker Jakore Smith and running back TJ Hodges within his first 48 hours on the job.

“Let’s talk about just in generalities of Arkansas recruiting," Silverfield said. "We signed 19 high school kids. Ten of them are from the state of Arkansas. Let me say that again, 10-of-19 are from the state of Arkansas. That proves a point that how important this state is to us and what we’re trying to get accomplished here."

Silverfield took part in his first Arkansas High School Football Coaches Association Conference earlier this month emphasizing in-state recruiting will be prioritized for the 2027 class and beyond.

That type of transparency will pay off for him moving forward as Arkansas has traditionally produced talent willing to go the extra mile for a school they all grew up watching. Silverfield mentioned Arkansas signing 10 in-state kids this cycle blew coaches away and continued to stress that statewide talent will not be taken for granted.

"I spoke at the High School Coaches Association, the Arkansas High School Coaches Association, a couple weeks ago, and I shared that stat with them, and a lot of them were like ,’Oh, we had no idea,'" Silverfield said. "Yeah, because they all want their kids recruited. I said, ‘I don’t know on paper if the recruiting sites would even say there was 10 Division I kids in the state,’ but that’s how important it is to us.

"We even tried to get some kids, you know, in the portal that are from here, and they never even made the visit here. So I encourage them. I said, let’s keep the kids in-state here.”

He's already proven that to be true in the 2027 class with scholarship offers extended to several in-state prospects such as Marion running back Jeremiah Dent, Fordyce running back Micah Gamble, Little Rock Central running back Trey Stewart, Jacksonville running back Mason Ball, Arkadelphia linebacker Mario Brownlee, Fayetteville safety Will Caston, Warren wide receiver Josiah Steen and a commitment of Sheridan offensive lineman Bradley Sturdivant.

That in-state focus continued into the transfer portal period as Silverfield wanted to bring those types of players in who were Arkansas natives. While a handful decided not to return to their home state, there were plenty who chose to embrace his invitation to wear Arkansas across their chest.

"If they’re thinking about transferring, let’s bring them back home if it makes sense for both parties, if it’s ultimately the right fit,” Silverfield said. “But those kids that flipped and decided to stay here and be Razorbacks and play for the in-state team, a lot of those were previous relationships.

"I knew Quincy Rhodes at [Memphis], he put out a thing about our relationship and showed a picture of us from six years ago. I had no facial hair and Quincy weighed about 200 pounds. But those relationships, right? Sometimes those are important, because those are kids that you believe in. They know you, and they say, ‘Man, you haven’t changed. You’re still that same dude that preaches the same thing and that teaches the kids and tries to play winning football.'"

He parlayed those relationships made at Memphis, even if he couldn't sign them to his program the first time around, into playing in the SEC at Arkansas.

“TJ Hodges, I remember going to see him at school and he wasn’t even there'" Silverfield said. "Then I ended up running into him at another camp and just saying, Hey, don’t ever forget about me. I think those relationships of Danny Beale, [Anthony] Kennedy, who was on our campus and said, ‘You know Coach, I’m really not interested in playing for you,’ at my previous spot.

"Just keeping those relationships alive, because you never know. Back then, maybe they would transfer back to Memphis. But I think just being transparent with these kids and showing what we’re all about and kind of building those relationships has allowed us, hopefully that will continue to allow us to keep some of these great kids in state.”

Silverfield’s emphasis on in-state recruiting reflects a broader strategy centered on long-term roster stability and sustained relationships with Arkansas high school programs. By increasing his presence with coaches across the state and maintaining contact with prospects over multiple years, the Razorbacks are positioning themselves to compete more consistently for local talent.

The early returns in the 2026 class suggest that approach is gaining traction, but how effectively it translates to on-field success will be determined over the next several seasons instead of an immediate payoff.

Hogs Feed: