Christmas Day for offensive lineman Reuben Unije had an Arkansas touch after offensive line coach Kurt Anderson direct messaged him on Twitter to offer him a scholarship.
"Coach Anderson DMed me happy holidays and Merry Christmas," Unije said. "I was like, 'It would be awesome to be a part of the Hog family,' and he was like, 'Well, you have an offer from us,' and I was like, 'Oh, I appreciate it. That's pretty neat.'
"It was pretty neat. I really wasn't expecting to get the offer."
Unije, 6-6, 307 pounds of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., has 12 other scholarship offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina State and Oregon State. Should he sign with the Hogs, he would be the second IMG Academy product on the roster, along with guard Hjalte Froholdt.
"I'm planning on visiting Arkansas soon, probably in the spring time," Unije said. "I want to see how it is. There are 10 linemen in the NFL from Arkansas, so that does mean a good tradition and alumni. I want to see if it feels like home, and if it feels like home that's all I need."
ESPN rates Unije the No. 12 offensive tackle and the No. 119 overall prospect for the 2018 class. He likes Anderson's background, which includes being the Buffalo Bills' assistant offensive line coach for three years before his arrival in Fayetteville.
"He's coached some of the best of the best," Unije said.
In March, Unije benched pressed 355 pounds, a 505 squat and 315 in the power clean. Unije believes his pass protection skills separate him from others at his position.
"A lot of linemen are good at run blocking, and I can do that too, but I pride myself in pass protection because not a lot of linemen coming out of high school are really good technique wise," Unije said. "I think my pass protection puts me ahead of a lot of the competition."
Unije, who has a 3.0 grade-point average, is considering majoring in the medical field. His mother is urging him to think about a career in the field.
"My mom really wants me to do that," Unije said. "Her main thing is there will always be medical jobs."
He's also considering business as his major.
"My long-term goal is to make it to the league, and then after that you need some source of income," Unije said. "Having a business degree can really help with that and help you make good decisions."
The mild-mannered Unije said he's anything but that on the field.
"When we're in the locker room, I put on my headphones and have my pregame play list," Unije said. "When I put that on, I get into that zone. The last thing I put on is my helmet, and once I put that on it's a new me. It's no longer good guy Reuben. I'm a mean guy, someone you don't want to mess with.
"I make sure whoever is lined up in front of me, I'm going to beat them to a pulp and make sure they're scared to line up against me and know there's nothing they can do against me."
A school with a family feel that recruits him hard will find favor with Unije.
"There's going to be a point and time, I don't know, but probably really soon that I will cut off recruiting and deal with the schools that have offered me," he said. "Because I don't want schools that are going to offer me on down the road that see something in me and then get in when I already have 30-plus offers."
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 12/30/2016