LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas received its third oral commitment from talent-rich Texas and its 15th overall for the 2012 football recruiting class when Carrollton Hebron defensive end Deatrich Wise went public with his pledge Saturday.
Wise, 6-6, 235 pounds, 4.82 seconds in the 40-yard dash, chose the Razorbacks after also receiving scholarship offers from Arizona, Vanderbilt,Purdue, Wake Forest and Arkansas State.
“The reason I chose to be a Razorback was I like how they have a chance to win the SEC championship,” Wise said, “and how they are an up-and-coming program and how they have improved each year.”
Wise attended Arkansas’ junior/senior prospect camp with his mother and father July 16. He recorded 45 tackles, 7 sacks and 1 forced fumble as a junior.
Arkansas assistant coach John L. Smith was the lead recruiter of Wise, who also noted his fondness of defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell and Coach Bobby Petrino. Wise said he plans to study agriculture at Arkansas.
“I liked the school,” Wise said. “They had my major. Iliked the environment around the campus and the people.”
Wise privately committed to Arkansas on July 25 when he called Caldwell with the good news.
“Coach Caldwell couldn’t wait to get Coach Petrino on the phone,” Wise said. “I talked to Coach Petrino and he said they were very happy to have me on board and couldn’t wait to get me up there.”
Oral commitments are nonbinding.
Sports, Pages 28 on 08/07/2011