Top Receiver Job for Razorbacks Still Wide Open in Fall Camp

Solid group looks to make mark in absence of past stars, but who will break out?

Author:
Daniel Shi
Updated:
Aug 14, 2023 4:12 AM EDT
Original:
Aug 13, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — "Just Give Me the Damn Ball!"

Who could forget the 1996 Keyshawn Johnson memoir? With running back Raheim "Rocket" Sanders being the leading returning receiver, it is still very much in the air who will fill the roles of the now departed Matt Landers and Jadon Haselwood, who accounted for 52.5% of all receiving yards last year.

There will be no shortage of candidates to fill the void as Arkansas coach Sam Pittman and the rest of the coaching staff worked the portal hard to make sure quarterback KJ Jefferson has quality targets.

Rave reviews continue to trickle in from camp about Isaac TeSlaa, who looks to make the transition from Division II to SEC standout. Fellow receivers Andrew Armstrong and Isaiah Sategna complimented his work in the weight room and his hands. TeSlaa looks to take an impressive stat line of 68 catches and 1,325 yards last year at Hillsdale College and become the most trusted option on the Razorback offense.

“I go home and watch film and I’m trying to watch me,” Armstrong said. “But I got to watch him, he just pops out on the screen, so I just go and watch him. Next thing you know, I’m five plays into watching film and I’m still watching him.”

Sategna himself will look to use his blazing speed to become a factor on deep routes himself. The Fayetteville native has already impressed this spring and quickly rocketed up the depth chart after only seeing 24 offensive snaps in 2022 and just two catches. Sategna’s speed also plays a factor on a new-look special teams unit.

“I’m trying to get on the field this year,” Sategna said. “I don't care where it's at. Last year it was kind of weird because I was on the bench and that's never happened for me, so this year I've been trying to go hard in practice, not take any plays off and know that practice translates into the games.”

Just 24 hours after Pittman declared sophomore Sam Mbake will be “on the field as much as anyone,” Mbake left the first scrimmage with an undisclosed injury and no timetable for return. While no alarm bells are going off, given Pittman’s praise, Mbake’s status will be monitored rather closely.

What Sategna lacks in height at 5-foot-11, Tyrone Broaden certainly makes up for it at 6-foot-7. The transfer from Bowling Green averaged 15.81 yards per catch, landing him just outside the Top 75 in FBS and good enough for second best on the team behind Landers last year.

Razorback fans got a taste in last year’s Liberty Bowl of Jaedon Wilson’s potential impact. After putting an injury stemming from a car wreck behind him, a position change to the inside has potential to pay huge dividends. As one of the few players with considerable time with the Razorbacks before this season, wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton lauded Wilson’s improvement throughout spring.

“He’s gotten a lot stronger in his body,” Guiton said. “He's just such a natural route runner. His first few days of fall camp have been awesome.”

Perhaps the biggest candidate to become the top receiver is Armstrong himself, with 1,020 yards on his resume last year from Texas A&M-Commerce, the redshirt senior brings a wealth of experience from FCS football. Armstrong continues to settle in as his time in Fayetteville progresses.

“When I got here in the spring, I was still nervous,” Armstrong said. “Trying to feel my way out, but now going through summer and actually building a relationship with all the players on the team. I’m very confident with the playbook.”

While it looks like a top receiver by committee which can wildly fluctuate week-to-week, there are plenty of candidates for Jefferson to throw the ball to ahead of the season opener against Western Carolina Sep. 2 on ESPN+.