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THE RECRUITING GUY : Prospects strut stuff for UA staff Published: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 PRINT E-MAIL Monitoring Arkansas’ Senior Camp on Saturday was a little bit like watching stocks on Wall Street. Some of the 295 athletes from 10 states saw their value rise, while others saw their stock fall. And a very few could be in line for a scholarship offer in the near future. One athlete who had little to worry about was cornerback David Gordon, who orally committed to the Hogs two days earlier. Gordon, 6-0, 175 pounds, 4. 4-second speed in the 40-yard dash, was easily the most impressive of all the campers. He exhibited unmatched agility in drills and showed good coverage skills against some of the top receivers on hand. There are not too many cornerbacks in the nation better than Gordon, who plans to use his 10. 4 speed in the 100 meters to run track for the Razorbacks. Arkansas’ coaches were all smiles just seeing him on campus. They know if he follows through and signs with them in February, he has a chance to have an immediate impact in the 2009 season.
One prospect who made a name for himself was Lafayette County athlete Rickey Hughey. He showed good feet and speed in agility drills for a big guy and is a must-watch for the 2009 class. Hughey, 6-5, 226, 4. 7, held his own against the cornerbacks, including Gordon in 1-on-1 drills. Hughey worked at wide receiver Saturday but could also get looks at tight end or defensive end in college. Lafayette County Coach Jeff McBride said Hughey is a good athlete and a hard worker. “He’s trying to make himself better as a wide receiver but with his size, he’s liable to make a good defensive end,” said Mc-Bride, who took over at Lafayette County on July 1 after serving as Magnolia’s offensive coordinator. Bryant safety Dijon Benton is another whose stock went up. Benton, 6-2, 183, 4. 57, has the size coaches love at his position. He excelled during the agility drills and did so well in coverage drills that he impressed Gordon. “He’s so physical and aggressive but at the same time he looks like he has skill,” Gordon said. “He has a lot of tools. He looks likes he would be one heck of a strong safety. I was thinking Arkansas should really think about this guy. He has the drive and he has that hunger to be the best he can be.” Also turning heads were Shreveport Evangel athlete Quinn Giles, 5-10, 185, 4. 50, and cornerback Trey Wilson, 5-11, 180, 4. 4. Giles said he learned techniques from defensive coordinator Willy Robinson that he’d like to use in the fall. Offers from Northwestern, Southern Miss, Vanderbilt, SMU, TCU and others have arrived, but he said Arkansas would be his top choice should they offer. Little Rock Central linebacker / tight end Chris Scott, 6-4, 230, 4. 68, could be one of those who gets an offer after a good showing at camp. Scott had interaction with Coach Bobby Petrino and offensive coordinator Paul Petrino, who moved Scott to the head of the line during one drill. “Coach Paul Petrino comes up and taps me on the shoulder and he moves everybody to one line and he said, ‘Chris you’re next,’” Scott said. Mark Hill, 6-6, 250, 5. 0, of Branson passed the eyeball test and displayed nice athletic ability in drills. He worked with the offensive line during the morning but at Coach Bobby Petrino’s request, worked out at tight end in the afternoon session. Petrino liked his tight ends in the 6-5 to 6-7 range when he was at Louisville. Hill said he would embrace the opportunity to play the position. Athlete Stephen Houston, 5-11, 205, 4. 42, is a well-built and athletic type who could play a number of positions in college. He has an offer from Ole Miss and is getting looks by several other high D-I schools, including Arkansas. Houston rushed for more than 1, 100 yards last year for the War Eagles. He recorded a 4. 00 pro-shuttle time and a 35 1 / 2-inch vertical jump at the Ole Miss camp. Arkansas’ coaching staff also entertained four junior college prospects from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas on unofficial visits Saturday. Linebacker Jacquian Williams and receiver Brandon Kinnie were accompanied by offensive tackle David Lazenby, 6-5, 310, and defensive lineman Sean Glades, 6-4, 250. Williams, 6-3, 220, 4. 5, signed with Akron out of Tampa (Fla. ) Riverview but was ineligible and enrolled at Fort Scott. He has offers from Texas A&M, Kansas State and South Florida. Kinnie, 6-3, 215, 4. 37, played his high school ball at Kansas City (Mo. ) Grandview, where he recorded 49 catches and 1, 200 yards and 21 touchdowns his senior year. He redshirted last year and will have three years of collegiate eligibility. He’s being recruited by the Hogs, Nebraska and Pittsburg. E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline. com More Stories From: RICHARD DAVENPORT · THE RECRUITING GUY : Purifoy's size fits into UA's plans · THE RECRUITING GUY : Baxendale brings big-time talent to UA · THE RECRUITING GUY : Tallahassee QB making a second visit to Arkansas · THE RECRUITING GUY : Tulsa Jenks athlete looks like linebacker to Arkansas · THE RECRUITING GUY : Heber Springs athlete earns offer at Arkansas camp Yesterday's Most Popular 1. Hogs continue to play from coast to coast Today's Most E-mailed 1. Iowa prep standout Kelly joins UA track 2. THE RECRUITING GUY : Purifoy's size fits into UA's plans 3. HOG FUTURES JERRY MITCHELL : Hurricane brings Mitchell to Hogs |
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