The Recruiting Guy

Two Florida prospects plan visit to Arkansas

James King
James King

Arkansas will host at least four prospects on official visits this weekend, and two of them, linebacker James King of and cornerback Ryan Pulley, are from talent-rich Florida.

King, 6-2, 200 pounds, 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, played for Miami Washington and has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Utah, West Virginia, South Florida and Florida Atlantic, where he is orally committed.

With Fayetteville approximately 1,400 miles away, King said he is more concerned about feeling comfortable with his surroundings.

" I want to feel like I'm at home," King said. "Like a second home away from home."

King, who has a weighted grade-point average of 4.3, said his parents echo his desire to find a school where he feels comfortable.

"They just want me to make the best decision possible," King said. "Like I said, a second home away from home."

Arkansas linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves and graduate assistant Aaron Henry visited his school Thursday.

King liked what he saw of the Hogs after watching Arkansas hold LSU, Ole Miss and Texas to a total of seven points. King is focused on getting his education so he can help adults and children in the inner city have a better life.

"I've set a goal, and that goal is to go into business management," he said. "I feel like getting that degree in that major I'll be prepared for life and I'll be able to invest into different companies and make a lot of money and one day have a basketball camp for the community and other communities that are not as stable."

King plans to officially visit Florida Atlantic on Jan. 30 and maybe South Florida for a midweek trip.

Pulley, 6-1, 195, played for Cape Coral Island Coast and has approximately 20 scholarship offers from schools such as Arkansas, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Arizona and Tennessee. He has Arkansas as his top school.

"Arkansas is definitely on top because I would love to play in the SEC," he said. "That's the best way to get to the NFL, and that's the best and most competitive conference to play in."

Pulley said he's eager to learn more about the program during his visit.

"I just want to see how the campus is and how the coaches are, and how the people around the coaches are," said Pulley, who was timed at 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash at an Alabama camp.

Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith and Henry visited his school and made an in-home visit Tuesday.

"He said he likes the way I play the game and in press coverage," said Pulley of Smith, who is serving as Pulley's lead recruiter. "He thinks I would be a good fit for the defense."

Pulley has been timed at 10.65 seconds in the 100 meters and runs a leg on the 400 relay team. He officially visited South Florida last weekend and plans to visit Texas A&M on Jan. 30.

He's confident the Hogs would like his talent.

"They'll be getting a great lockdown corner," he said. "I have good technique, and I'm a big corner."

Pulley said he'll probably announce his decision around signing day.

GEORGIA END VISITS

Defensive end T.J. Smith of Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County arrived in Fayetteville on Wednesday afternoon to start his official visit and will leave early this morning.

Smith, 6-3, 260 pounds, 4.89, has scholarship offers from several schools, including Arkansas, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Wake Forest and Central Florida.

He is orally committed to Vanderbilt, and he took an official visit there last weekend. He'll arrive at Wake Forest later today to start a visit and will wrap up his visits Jan. 30 with a trip to Missouri.

2 OTHERS VISITING

Defensive end JaMario Bell of Junction City and North Carolina State defensive end commitment Jabari Zuniga of Marietta (Ga.) Sprayberry are expected to arrive today for their official visits.

Zuniga, 6-3, 260 pounds, 4.8, has scholarship offers from about 20 schools, including Arkansas, North Carolina State, Florida, Minnesota, Kansas State, Iowa State and Illinois. He played basketball until giving football a try his junior year.

He took an official visit to Florida last weekend.

Bell, 6-6, 248, 4.7, is orally committed to Arkansas.

E-mail Richard Davenport at

rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 01/23/2015

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