The Recruiting Guy

Hogs trying to pry Texas lineman from Bruins

Arkansas defensive backs coach Clay Jennings directs his players during practice Thursday, March 20, 2014, at the UA practice field in Fayetteville.
Arkansas defensive backs coach Clay Jennings directs his players during practice Thursday, March 20, 2014, at the UA practice field in Fayetteville.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Arkansas defensive backs coach Clay Jennings has continued to recruit four-star defensive lineman Bryce English of DeSoto, Texas, even though English is committed to UCLA, and Jennings' persistence is paying off with an official visit to Fayetteville in the making.

English, 5-11, 315 pounds, 4.99 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has scholarship offers from approximately 13 schools, including Arkansas, UCLA, Arizona State, Wisconsin and Iowa.

English's parents, Rene and Lee, will accompany Bryce on his visit to Fayetteville. English's father is originally from Osceola and urged his son to take the trip to Fayetteville.

"He's telling me to take that visit," English said. "So, yeah, I think I'm going to take the visit."

Bryce English said Jennings has been relentless in trying to get him up for a visit.

"He hits me up every day," said English, who is also considering taking an official visit to Arizona State. "He talks to my dad, and I just go back and forth and we just communicate through each other."

English, who bench presses 395 pounds and squats 515, said Arkansas' SEC affiliation and the opportunity to come in and play as a freshman are two of the reasons he is considering Arkansas.

"Playing in the SEC is a main one," English said.

DeSoto Coach Claude Mathis said English's recent performance in a 29-24 victory over Cibolo Steele was one of the best he's seen from a DeSoto player in 15 years.

"Bryce had the best game for a defensive lineman I've ever had since I've been coaching," Mathis said. "He absolutely took over the game. The opposing coach was trying to find him after the game because he knew Bryce was a big reason why they lost that game."

English, who also is looking to attend the Arkansas-Georgia game in Little Rock on Oct. 18, is rated high by national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network.

"He combines speed, strength, and leverage to more than make up for lack of height," Lemming said. "Plays big in big games. Last year against Allen, Bryce was one of the players everyone talked about."

English said he plans to major in communications and hopes to be on TV someday.

"I'm big on broadcasting," English said, "hopefully be on the ESPN or SportsCenter."

SAFETY WITH SPEED

Highly recruited safety Kahlil Haughton has taken two official visits and plans to take three others, including one to Arkansas.

"I really haven't been worried much about recruiting ... just playing for my team doing what I can being focused on the season," Haughton said.

Haughton, 6-2, 180 pounds, 4.44 seconds in the 40-yard dash of Waco (Texas) Midway, has scholarship offers from more than 20 schools, including Arkansas, Oklahoma, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Duke.

Haughton said he's hoping to make his visit to Fayetteville on Oct. 11 when the Hogs play Alabama but needs a night kickoff in order to make it. Haughton said he and Arkansas' lead recruiter, defensive backs Coach Clay Jennings, talk on a regular basis.

"We talked the other day," Haughton said. "He just keeps expressing how he wants me to take a visit, and he said he would love to have me as an Arkansas Razorback. I like talking to the guy."

Haughton has been timed in the 400 meters in 48.5 seconds and in the 200 in 22.3 seconds. His father, Gregory Haughton, ran the 400 meters for Jamaica in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

Haughton recorded 87 tackles, 2 interceptions, 13 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble as a junior. He said Jennings has told him the Hogs don't have a guy with his size and ability at safety.

"He said that before, not necessarily calling anybody out, but he said there would be a chance for early playing time," said Haughton, who also plans visits to Baylor and Texas Tech. "He likes what I bring to the table."

Midway Coach Terry Gambill said he believes Haughton is a special talent.

"I've been coaching for 30 years, and he's one of the better safeties I've ever been around," Gambill said.

HITTING THE ROAD

Arkansas coaches will be recruiting during the bye week, starting Monday. Arkansas, Dallas, Houston and Louisiana are among the places they'll be during the off week.

E-mail Richard Davenport at

rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 09/28/2014

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