Arkansas Should Keep Close Watch on Rising In-State Running Back

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield gave fans 105 reasons to monitor in-state recruiting now more than previous coaching regimes with his emphasis on keeping SEC-level athletes home with scholarship level changes.

One rising junior running back, Jeremiah Buckner, possesses three traits any coach would want and that's vision, speed and power on the ground. His first year at the varsity level was a productive one at North Little Rock as he recorded 148 carries for 916 yards and five touchdowns.

He was one of the lone bright spots on a team that finished the season at 3-8 overall under first-year coach Brad Bolding in 2025.

Buckner doesn't dance in the backfield with the ball in his hands. He is decisive with his cuts and finds the crease quickly. One area of his game this spring that's he's obviously improved in is his breakaway speed.

Hudi film sophomore year @NLRFB @Coachmaldonado0 @RickeyBrownJr3 @CoachKnoxCSU @Coachgwest501 pic.twitter.com/GaNDNMt3JK
— Jeremiah Buckner (@JeremiahBuwg) March 5, 2026

Last season, he would try to sidestep in the open-field. Now he utilizes his straight line 4.4 speed to separate himself at the second level for paydirt.

With use of GPS, he hits top speed at 21.8 miles per hour, which is an impressive mark for a tailback with such a low center of gravity at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds.

His running style translates well to the 7A-Conference level in Arkansas. Buckner lays the wood with a punishing shoulder and is hardly stopped when tackled low.

Most quality running backs across the country understand maintaining balance after the first hit is key to being recruited at the next level. An opponent's best weapon to slow Buckner down is the sideline, using angles to get him out of bounds.

He can also catch the ball out of the backfield and uses his shiftiness to create space for himself to gain extra yardage.

That kind of explosiveness can make him an intriguing prospect for Razorbacks offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, who likes to involve his running backs in the passing game.

One of the top 2028 RB in the country !!! Jeremiah Buckner
(@JeremiahBuwg) @NLRFB

☆Vision
☆Power
☆Speed

Stats: Split Carries
148 carries
916 yards

40: 4.44
GPS: 21.8 MPH @catapultsam https://t.co/wwqKa89hRy pic.twitter.com/1NLr40WlAU
— Coach Rickey | Speed & Performance Coach (@RickeyBrownJr3) May 20, 2026

Buckner’s downhill mentality, embrace of contact and improved breakaway speed make him one of the rising in-state players to watch.

He told CBS Sports Tom Lemming following his breakout sophomore campaign that he's focused on programs such as Arkansas, Michigan and Texas A&M early on in his recruitment.

North Little Rock RB History

The Wildcats' program has been a running back factory for a couple decades now,. A few who come to mind are the late Altee Tenpenny (Alabama), Juan Day (Arkansas), Brandon Thomas (Memphis), Oscar Adaway III (South Carolina) and D.J. Brown (Northern Illinois).

Tenpenny was the No. 51 overall prospect coming out of high school, No. 5 running back nationally and edged by Arkansas great Hunter Henry as the best prospect in Arkansas for the 2013 class, according to 247Sports.

The 5-foot-11, 212 prospect looked every bit of the next great Alabama running back after dominating the Arkansas high school scene where he recorded 2,635 total yards of offense and 38 touchdowns over his final two seasons.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield talks to his team after the spring game at Razorback Stadium. | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Tenpenny was named to the U.S. Army All-American Game roster and invited to the prestigious Nike camp "The Opening" in Eugene, Ore. following his junior year.

The 2013 class featured a deep crop of recruits in quarterback Austin Allen, linebacker Brooks Ellis, safety Alex Brignoni, defensive end Tevin Beanum, running back Korliss Marshall, and wide receiver Drew Morgan who all signed with the Razorbacks.

Fans will remember Day's name, as he was featured alongside Tenpenny during his junior season rushing for 915 yards and 13 touchdowns. However, an injury sidelined him for all but three games for NLR as a senior in 2013.

Day signed with the Razorbacks in the 2014 class, and played sporadically over three seasons before transferring down to Stephen F. Austin for the 2017 season.

As for Thomas, he signed with Memphis as a member of Ryan Silverfield's first recruiting class with the program in 2020. He played five seasons for the Tigers, recording 245 carries for 1,454 yards and 35 touchdowns while also catching 19 passes for 111 yards.

Should Buckner continue his rise to stardom for the Wildcats, he will probably become the next great running back to come out of North Little Rock in the 2028 cycle.

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