Recruits often go online to research and sort through their college options.
Highly recruited defensive lineman Michael Williams hasn't had to do much research on Arkansas because he gets his share of information from Razorbacks fans on Twitter.
"All I have to do is just tweet it and the fans will tell me," Williams said. "They give me some stats about Arkansas, and they'll give me some quotes. They'll tell me everything they think I need to know."
Williams, 6-2 1/2, 300 pounds, 4.95 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal, reports more than 40 scholarship offers, including ones from Arkansas, Texas, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Baylor and others.
Williams said Hogs fans aren't bashful when it comes to partaking in social media.
"I would probably say they're the most active," he said.
He said fans on social media can make an impact.
"It's going to influence you a little bit, but not too much," Williams said.
Arkansas running backs and special teams coach Jemal Singleton, who attended All Saints Episcopal's football practice Wednesday, is working hard on getting Williams in an Arkansas uniform.
"Every time I talk to him, every time," Williams said, "he tells me he came and saw me practice, and now it's time for me to come up there."
Williams has visited Texas, Baylor, TCU, SMU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State this year and said he plans visit California and Stanford this coming week. He gave the odds of a trip to Fayetteville are "about 50-50."
Williams has a 3.6 point average and is considering studying medicine or business.
"My mom and pretty much half the women in my family work in medicine," Williams said.
Williams said location won't be much of an issue when picking a school because his mother, Tanisha Robertson, will find a way to make it to his games.
"My mom has been there for everything," he said. "Back when I was playing flag football, she taught me how to grab a flag. She use to make me run. She use to work out with me. She does it all."
READY TO VISIT
Eric Cuffee, ESPN's No. 9 cornerback prospect, said he is hoping to visit Arkansas in a few weeks, thanks to the hard work of Razorbacks defensive backs coach Clay Jennings.
"I'm going out to Arkansas, maybe in June," Cuffee said. "I really want to get down there because Coach Jennings has really been wanting me to get there a lot. I just haven't had the time to and I just feel like I should go check it out."
Cuffee, 6-0, 188, of Waco, Texas, has more than 30 scholarship offers, including ones from Arkansas, Texas, Alabama, UCLA, Michigan and Auburn. He's also rated as the nation's No. 103 overall prospect by ESPN.
Jennings, a Waco native, has coached at least 10 defensive backs who have played in the NFL. Another one, Arkansas cornerback Tevin Mitchel, was selected by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round in the recent draft.
"He originally recruited me at TCU," Cuffee said. "I think he's a great coach because he's coached a lot of great kids. He's from my hometown, so we have a lot of things in common."
Cuffee earned an invitation to The Opening, the premier summer event for the nation's top prospects held at Nike Headquarters in Oregon, at The Opening Regional competition in Arlington, Texas, on March 15.
"It's a tremendous opportunity in life to actually do something you've always wanted to do since being a little kid," Cuffee said of The Opening. "It's a great blessing."
Cuffee isn't a defensive back who looks to avoid contact. He recorded 34 unassisted tackles, 62 assisted tackles and 9 pass breakups as a junior.
Cuffee has a 3.8 grade point average and is considering going to law school or majoring in business.
"I think corporate law is a great thing," Cuffee said. "It's a leadership role, and I think I can be a leader in business."
Cuffee is a team captain in high school and also a member of the student council.
There's no set time for narrowing his list of prospective schools, but Williams said it could come this summer.
"I haven't set a date on that yet, but it will probably be around the time of The Opening," he said.
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 05/10/2015