Live Blog: Braylen Russell, Selman Bridges Decisions

Can Arkansas land two of the biggest recruits in the 2024 class?

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Jul 15, 2023 4:26 PM EDT
Original:
Jul 14, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It's one of the more potentially impactful Friday nights in a long time in Arkansas as Benton running back Braylen Russell and Temple, Texas defensive back Selman Bridges get set to make their announcements. Russell will make his decision known sometime around 6:45 p.m. followed immediately by Bridges at 7 p.m.

We will keep you up to date with what happens live, so beginning around 6:30 p.m., start refreshing your browser. Until then, here are some of the stories already written about what's happening tonight to bring everyone up to speed.

CONFUSION WEDNESDAY SHOWS HOW EMOTIONAL ARKANSAS FANS WILL BE
WHEN RUSSELL ANNOUNCES FOR REAL

BIG NIGHTS LIKE TONIGHT INDICATIVE OF HOW FAR
PITTMAN HAS RAISED RECRUITING BAR

RAZORBACK FANS SHOULDN'T COUNT WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT
AS DONE DEAL WHICHEVER WAY IT GOES

BRAYLEN RUSSELL

Junior season highlights can be found HERE.

240 carries, 1,643 yards, 26 TDs, 6.8 yards per carry, 137 yards per game, 22 catches, 224 yards, 1 TD

As stated in one of the previous stories, this has been a nail biter all the way to the end between Arkansas and Tennessee, although you shouldn't fully count out South Carolina. The Hogs had his commitment until this past October, then he opened his recruiting again. The Volunteers got the last visit.

Media from both sides of the aisle are saying they think Russell is coming to the school they cover. Whichever team gets him lands a deceptively fast back who is ultra powerful and already has a body similar to the one Rocket Sanders will bring into the season this fall. Watching him run against high school kids is scary. At 6-foot-1, 230, he is a tank that can pull away from defensive backs.

6:32 p.m. – The broadcast feed for the announcement is very heavy with South Carolina and Tennessee fans trying to sway Russell's decision.

6:35 p.m. – A poll has gone up on the feed with over 225 votes showing where fans think he will go. Here are the results so far.

Poll showing where fans think Braylen Russell will commit. Arkansa has a lead of 50-39 over Tennessee. — 247 Sports YouTube

6:37 p.m. – Tennessee and Arkansas fans are starting to drown out what was once a very vocal South Carolina contingent.

A chat showing Arkansas and Tennessee fans talking back and forth. — 247 Sports YouTube

6:39 p.m. – Things have gotten a little more tense in the chat after a Tennessee fan asked why an elite athlete like Russell would want to play for "a terrible team like Arky." How long will it take for all those NCAA violations to get thrown back in this guy's face?

6:41 p.m. – Looks like this has been pushed back a little. Might be closer to 7 p.m. which means it will clash with the Selman Bridges announcement.

6:45 p.m. – It appears we are back on track, although both Russell and Bridges have broadcasts going on at the same time now.

6:47 p.m. – The opening breakdown of Russell and his rankings are over. We're now live from Benton. Russell says he is looking for a coach who can develop him. Russell is tightly surrounded by family, which was a theme of his recruiting trips. He's rocking pin stripes and a silver chain.

6:48 p.m. – Russell has taken his phone out is going to call the coach to whom he will commit. He is on the phone with the coach and is being very careful to not reveal who he has called. "Hey coach! Coach I just want to thank you for giving me a chance and extending that offer and I want to accept it. Yes sir. Thank you. Yes sir. I really appreciate it. Yes sir. Yes sir."
He has now taken out a gray box. "I will be attending for the next three to four years..."

"The University of Arkansas!" All of his family rip off hoodies to reveal Razorback gear and the place explodes. One of the loudest Hog calls ever breaks out, blowing out the microphone.

He has been asked what Coach Pittman told him, but he seems a bit overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment. "Everything is running through my mind right now. I just got off the phone with Coach Pitt." Russell said he told all three coaches he wasn't letting any of them know ahead of time where he was going. He would call one and only one. He said the effort by Arkansas to never back off and keep showing him love put the Razorbacks back on the map after a decommitment this past October. He said he heard from KJ Jackson before today trying to get him to go ahead and be a Razorback.

WATCH HOW IT HAPPENED HERE

SELMAN BRIDGES

If there's two words to describe Bridges it's brash and bold. If he makes onto campus in Fayetteville, he will bring an edge and larger than life persona unlike anything that has been there before. The attitude of the defense immediately becomes much more confident.

Bridges is the No. 50 recruit in the country and will be the highest ranked commit in a loaded class if he goes with Arkansas. There have been hints the Razorbacks are in the lead on him, but things can always happen at the last minute.

A glimpse of Bridges at work.

6:44 p.m. – The feed for Bridges has already gone live. There are four giant placards of him wearing gear from each team are on easels behind the table while people casually wander around.

6:54 p.m. – The hats are on the table now. Hogs are in the third slot.

6:57 p.m. – Someone just walked in front of the camera wearing Razorback gear. There are a ton of Arkansas fans in Texas, so it could just be a local fan who is wearing the colors of the school he is hopeful Bridges might attend.

6:59 p.m. – Arkansas fans talking a lot in the chat for Bridges about the Hogs going back-to-back today. We will see here very soon. The hats on the table appear to be Texas, Arkansas, USC and TCU. If the Razorbacks pull this off, they vault up to the No. 16 recruiting class.

7 p.m. – Bridges is at the table and as predicted, the swag level is high. He's in a nice set of shades wearing a plaid shirt that is half black and white and half purple and black. His head coach has turned the floor over to Bridges. The energy is so high in the room. I think he just thanked all the villains and the vultures.

7:03 p.m. – He picks up the USC hat. Now he sets it down. He grabs the Arkansas hat second, not a good sign. He throws it on his head and announces he is heading to Arkansas. "We see you Coach Pitt!" What appears to be his mother comes up and says Bridges spent a lot of time praying about it and felt Arkansas was the best place.

SEE HOW IT WENT DOWN HERE