Hog Fans May Find a Few Extra Treats Under the Tree This Year
As we head into the Christmas Day of college football — Early Signing Day — this Wednesday, Arkansas fans are eager to unwrap a recruiting class that is rated as high as No. 15 nationally by recruiting services.
And while there's excitement and anticipation for the gifts that are already proverbially under the tree, it's possible Hog fans might come down the stairs and find a couple of surprise unwrapped gifts on display in front of the tree also.
LANDON JACKSON, DE, LSU
Apparently Jackson wasn't impressed by newly named head coach Brian Kelly's rendition of a southern accent.
Two days after the viral moment, Jackson hit the transfer portal and immediately started looking into Arkansas as a potential landing spot.
Despite suffering a serious leg injury in high school that would keep him out through spring drills and part of the 2021 season, Jackson enrolled in LSU early, arriving in Baton Rouge this past January.
The extra time in the weight room time and rehab pushed the Pleasant Grove, Texas four-star recruit from 6-6, 240 to his current reported size of 6-7, 273.
This time last year recruiting services had Jackson listed as the No. 8 defensive end in the country and the No. 78 overall prospect.
He had a high interest in Arkansas while initially being recruited under then head coach Chad Morris and reportedly took several visits, including an official in March of 2019.
Many assumed Texas A&M might get the nod considering his father, Larry Jackson, played basketball for the Aggies. However, it was Arkansas that received the visit this past weekend.
With no smoke rising up out of College Station, and the bonus of family members who live in the Northwest Arkansas area, the chances for the Hogs to land Jackson seem high.
SAM M'BAKE, WR, NORTH COBB HS (Kennesaw, GA)
Arkansas fans could find themselves with a Treylon Burks starter kit.
M'Bake, a four star wide receiver who lists at 6-4, 205, has a thick lower torso similar to Burks coming out of high school. Highlights (seen at the bottom) show this lower body power makes the Georgia receiver almost impossible to bring down in the open field.
M'Bake was projected by Rivals to go to either Georgia, Florida or Ole Miss as late as early November. However, Arkansas has made a push as of late.
M'Bake visited Arkansas the same weekend as Oklahoma transfer Jadon Haselwood. He then had an in-home visit with Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman back on Nov. 29.
Arkansas broke into the Rivals projections this past week with a 10% chance of landing M'Bake, but has since been upgraded to 25%.
However, social media tends to be a stronger predictor of where things are headed, and the receiver's Twitter has become heavily populated with Arkansas-related tweets.
SAMUAL M'BAKE HIGHLIGHTS (link)
This one isn't a done deal because it appears Georgia will continue to play football next season. However, it wouldn't be surprising to see M'Bake competing for a slice of those 1,100 yards left behind by Burks.
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