No Surprise: 2027 QB Joaquin Kavouklis rescinds Arkansas commitment

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In one of those college football recruiting twists that makes beat writers crack a knowing smile, 2027 quarterback Joaquin Kavouklis has rescinded his commitment to the Arkansas football program.

That’s right: the signal-caller from Gaither, Fla., who once pledged to play for the Razorbacks, is back on the board. The wire service-type blurb from On3 confirmed the news Thursday, though the initial report offered more of the “here’s what happened” than the “here’s why he did it” you might hope for.

Some of us old-timers that have been around covering the Hogs for a half-century or so are still wondering why anybody pays attention to what a high school players does with a commitment for a couple of years away.

Too many things have always been subject to change. Now is much more than 50 years ago.

Recruiting in the SEC is seldom dull, and this one adds a bit of spice.

🚨BREAKING🚨 QB Joaquin Kavouklis has decommitted from Arkansas, @Hayesfawcett3 reports.

Read: https://t.co/GfVAuVUpwI pic.twitter.com/tJDp2uqJpm
— Rivals (@Rivals) January 22, 2026

Kavouklis was a part of Arkansas’s Class of 2027 haul — a recruiting class that, like most around the league, is already filling up fast — and his decision to step away means the Hogs will be back in the market for a quarterback recruit as spring and summer visits ramp up.

The de-commitment comes without a laundry list of public statements or quote-laden press releases. On3’s short news item simply noted that “2027 Gaither (Fla.) quarterback Joaquin Kavouklis decommitted from Arkansas on Thursday,” leaving Hogs fans to piece together what comes next.

In recruiting circles, Kavouklis was viewed as a classic developmental pro-style passer: a three-star prospect with room to grow who had some intriguing tools for a Power Five offense.

His original pledge to Arkansas was greeted with cautious optimism, as it signaled that Bobby Petrino and the Razorbacks coaching staff were able to sell a Florida prospect on Fayetteville as a place to build his game.

If you were paying attention, the first question was whether any of those coaches would be here by 2027. Everything that happened in September with Razorback football wasn't surprising if you were watching in August.

But college football recruiting has a notoriously short memory, and one that’s even shorter when players change their minds.

The de-commitment comes at a time when national powers and regional suitors have plenty of ammo to adjust their recruiting boards — and it gives Arkansas a moment to pivot in a cycle where quarterback commitments are prized.

All glory to god. https://t.co/LBaHh8C2BD
— Joaquin Kavouklis QB (@joaquinkav10) January 22, 2026

For the Razorbacks, quarterback depth — at both the collegiate and recruiting level — has been an ongoing narrative. Arkansas had previously added other quarterbacks via the transfer portal, including a Memphis transfer who bolstered the roster this offseason, and the staff has been active evaluating options from both high school and the portal.

At this point, the story is more about what happens next than what just happened. With Kavouklis reopening his recruitment, Arkansas is suddenly right back in the market for a 2027 quarterback amid a deep and competitive SEC recruiting landscape.

The coaching staff will surely be monitoring his next move, and fans might want to keep a close eye on regional camps, unofficial visits, and the inevitable social media chatter that comes with this territory.

No one said recruiting in Fayetteville was going to be a straight line. But those hairpin turns? That keeps the rest of us entertained.

Maybe the main lesson is don't make plans on what some young man in high school says about where he's looking at going to college a couple of years later.

Things change.

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