Landon Jackson on All-American List a Little Surprising

Only Razorback making first team on ESPN list, but lot of SEC players on team

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Jan 24, 2024 4:24 AM EST
Original:
Jan 23, 2024

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When I saw ESPN's Chris Low wrote his way-too-early All-Americans for next year, it was a curiosity view more than expecting much. There isn't anyone on this Arkansas team many people would consider putting on these preseason teams.

Seeing Razorbacks defensive end Landon Jackson on the second team at defensive end was a little surprising. Maybe I'm the only person in the state of Arkansas that was but, yeah, it caught me a little off-guard.

What wasn't surprising was the number of first-team All-Americans that the Hogs will face this season. Six players on other teams the Razorbacks will face this year made the list. Those are just the first-teamers. A couple of more guys are on the second team.

Alabama being off the Arkansas schedule makes a difference on lists like this. Nick Saban didn't leave Kalen DeBoer without quality talent despite all the transfers. But that's everybody else's problem, not the Razorbacks this year. Their issue is the addition of Texas to the SEC schedule while Ole Miss and Missouri also roll along well now.

Hogs coach Sam Pittman's problem is trying to get a team that can compete with all that. In a day and age where getting those players everybody is having to learn from the same starting point and openly where money suddenly directly matters, Arkansas is behind. That's the biggest problem.