LITTLE ROCK — Several of the nation’s top prospects plan to make official visits to Arkansas for the South Carolina and Tennessee games in Fayetteville, including Florida linebacker Reggie Northrup, who is committed to Miami.
Northrup, 6-2 1/2, 220 pounds, 4.57 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Jacksonville First Coast High School, committed to the Hurricanes in June but will make an official visit to Arkansas for the Tennessee game on Nov. 12.
Northrup reopened his recruiting after the NCAA revealed in August details of an investigation into alleged improper benefits provided by former Miami booster Nevin Shapiro, who’s now serving 20 years in federal prison after being convicted in a Ponzi scheme.
Arkansas, Miami, Florida State, North Carolina, Auburn, South Carolina, Notre Dame and Michigan State are among 26 schools who have offered him scholarships.
“I’m committed to Miami, but nothing is for sure,” Northrup said. “I’m keeping my options open to other schools I have interest in.”
Northrup, who has recorded 90 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 7 sacks and 3 pass deflections for the 6-0 Buccaneers, gave several reasons for his interest in the Razorbacks.
“I know they have a really good coaching staff, and they have a really good program,” Northrup said. “I’ve watched how the players have been coached and how they perform on game day.”
National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS College Sports said Northrup is one of the best athletes in Florida.
“He’s one of the top four players in northern Florida,” Lemming said. “He’s a great linebacker; he can hit. He runs with the backs, he’s physical and instinctive. He’s smart, a good student and a team leader and has the potential to be an impact player as an inside or outside backer.”
Receivers coach Kris Cinkovich, who was able to beat out Miami for highly-recruited defensive end Lonnie Gosha, is the lead recruiter of Northrup.
“He’s a good guy,” Northrup said. “He lets me know they need linebackers.”
A school’s atmosphere and the opportunity for early playing time will factor into Northrup’s decision.
“Does the (team) feel like a family?” he said. “Opportunities as a football player and the environment.”
Northrup will make an official visit to North Carolina this weekend with official visits to Arkansas and Miami to follow. He has yet to make plans for his other two official visits.
Northrup watched Arkansas’ 29-24 victory over Ole Miss on Saturday and the Hogs’ 42-38 victory over Texas A&M on Oct. 1.
“I liked how defensively, if they get behind they just come back,” said Northrup, who believes the Razorbacks’ scheme would be a good fit for him.
JUNIOR QB EYES VISIT
Arkansas continues to get consideration from several of the nation’s top junior prospects, including quarterback Christian Hackenberg.
Hackenberg, 6-4, 210, 4.7, of Fort Union Military Academy in Virginia, reports scholarship offers from Virginia and Tennessee while drawing interest from Arkansas, Alabama, Rutgers, Maryland and numerous others.
“They’re an SEC school,” Hackenberg said of the Razorbacks. “Obviously they’re having a real good year. The quarterbacks put up really good numbers, obviously talent such as Ryan Mallett.”
Hackenberg, who’s considered one of the top-10 quarterbacks for the 2013 class by Lemming, has completed 136 of 266 passes for 1,701 yards and 16 touchdowns in 8 games this season. This year, he has attended games at Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland. He is considering visits to Alabama, Rutgers and West Virginia.
Arkansas is another school that could get a visit next year.
“There’s probably a good chance I’ll come down during the spring or summer,” Hackenberg said.
Hackenberg hopes to stay relatively close to home for college, but doesn’t consider Fayetteville too far from Virginia.
“Midwest is where I’ll cut it off,” Hackenberg said. “I don’t want to go out West I think. Staying close to home is something I’ve thought about. Pretty much anything on the East coast and some of the Midwest schools are what I’m considering.”
E-mail Richard Davenport at
rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 19 on 10/25/2011