SEC Rival Predicted to Poach In-State Prospect Away from Hogs, Again

Marked Tree running back boasts traits as big-time talent; becomes national recruit in town that rarely produces major SEC talent
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman against the Texas A&M Aggies at AT&T Stadium.
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman against the Texas A&M Aggies at AT&T Stadium. / Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Tucked inside the northeast corner of Arkansas, Marked Tree isn’t a town known to produce SEC-caliber athletes.

Thanks to 2026 4-star running back prospect Terry "TJ" Hodges, the towns football program has received national attention lately. He had an electric 2024 season with 158 carries for 1796 rushing yards 22 touchdowns in Arkansas’ Class 2A Conference. 

He also totaled 13 receptions for 250 yards and two touchdowns along with time on defense recording 38 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, four forced fumbles and one pass breakup. Following a visit to rival Missouri, Hodges received a visit from Arkansas coaches last week when they attended his basketball game.

While those numbers are posted against the state's smallest classification, it doesn't take long to pull up Hodges' tape and notice how much of a difference maker he can be in college. The 6-foot-1, 175 pound running athlete is currently ranked No. 201 overall among 2026 prospects, No. 13 at his position and No. 3 player in Arkansas, according to 247sports.

UNLV and North Texas were first to offer Hodges, followed by Baylor, USC, Purdue, Ole Miss and Auburn from January 2024 through April 2024. The Razorbacks didn't extend a scholarship offer until May 16, 2024 along with Florida State and Washington.

Missouri coaches began to prioritize its neighboring state once again and offered Hodges mid-November and received an unofficial visit two weeks later when Arkansas visited for the Battle Line Rivalry game. Tigers' coach Eli Drinkwitz appears poised to steal another prospect from Arkansas and Coach Sam Pittman once again.

While the prediction from On3 Vice President Steve Wiltfong received 60% in confidence, it continues a trend of missing out on the state's highly rated prospects under Pittman. The Razorbacks saw three of its best five 2025 prospects choose to leave the state, missed out on six of the top 10 in 2024 and four of the top 11 in 2021.

Arkansas already received a blow for 2026 when Maumelle 4-star defensive lineman Anthony Kennedy, No. 5 in-state prospect, committed to Missouri in December. If Pittman misses out on Hodges, that would make two out of five in-state athletes who spurn the Razorbacks.

There's no promise Arkansas will add any of Arkansas' five 4-star prospects as Danny Beale (Cross County), Jakore Smith (Parkview) and Evan Goodwin (Pulaski Academy) are considered national recruits. Arkansas is obviously a smaller state with few major Power Conference prospects per capita which pushes the Razorbacks to broaden its radius in recruiting high schoolers.

"If you look at our state, you know, we just don’t have a populated state," Pittman said at 2024 SEC Media Days. "We may have anywhere from six to eight kids that can play football in the SEC. At least in our opinion. That doesn’t make us right. But at least in our opinion."

Historically, Texas has a huge recruiting footprint which benefits many programs not only in the SEC but nationally. Arkansas has regularly recruited the Lonestar state well but with Pittman's successful stint at Georgia as assistant head coach under Kirby Smart, it allowed him to build a pipeline of sorts to not only Atlanta but Florida and Alabama.

"You may come into Dallas and get, what do you think, 50 probably SEC players at least just in this area. So the more we can get on the team obviously the more familiar, the more stories we can have, the better off we’ll be and the better we can do here."

HOGS FEED:

• Silent assassin ready to impact Razorbacks this year

• Are Razorback fans just downright mad heading into baseball?

• Calipari promised to field more experience, SEC beat him to it

• Early rankings for 2025 could lay very tough path for Razorbacks

• Former Razorback great assesses program in one sentence

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