The recruiting process for Dylan Hays picked up over the past week, and now he's in line to be put on scholarship at the University of Arkansas.
The Little Rock Christian senior is a grayshirt for the Razorbacks and will be given the next scholarship available for an interior offensive lineman. Hays, along with running back Damarea Crockett, led Little Rock Christian's group of five football signees Wednesday.
Crockett, 6-0, 215 pounds, signed a national letter of intent with Missouri. He had been committed to Boise State since July, but he decommitted last month in favor of the Tigers of the SEC.
Other Warriors signing national letters of intent Wednesday included wide receiver Joe Hampton (Central Arkansas), linebacker Stone Boshears (Ouachita Baptist) and quarterback Kyron Sanders (Southern Nazarene).
As for Hays, who had originally committed to Central Arkansas in the Football Championship Subdivision, a coaching change on the Arkansas staff set the wheels in motion for him to head to Fayetteville.
Former offensive line coach Sam Pittman left Arkansas in December to join Kirby Smart's staff at Georgia. Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema hired Buffalo Bills co-offensive line coach Kurt Anderson last month, and Anderson identified Hays as a viable in-state offensive line prospect. Hays was a two-way starter on the Warriors' offensive and defensive lines. He finished with 93 tackles, including 54 unassisted, 5 sacks and 1 pass breakup.
Hays, 6-4, 280, a second-team All-Arkansas Preps defensive selection this past season, was offered scholarships by Missouri and Indiana over the past week, then Bielema called him Monday to offer him a scholarship in the future at Arkansas.
"When I got the offer, I didn't skip a beat. I took it," said Hays, who will play either center or guard at Arkansas. "It's always been a dream of mine [to be a Razorback]. It's awesome."
Little Rock Christian Coach Jeff Weaver said Bielema called him Tuesday night to brief him on Hays' situation.
"He said I want you to understand that we're going to treat this kid right," Weaver said. "We're going to take care of him. He's guaranteed a scholarship by next January. If they get an interior line scholarship available before then, he'll be the first to get it."
Crockett, a first-team All-Arkansas Preps offensive selection, rushed for 1,627 yards and 26 touchdowns on 253 carries, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and 125 yards per game. He also caught 25 passes for 313 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Geography, as well as the new coaching staff at Missouri led by Coach Barry Odom and offensive coordinator Josh Heupel, were key factors in Crockett committing to the Tigers.
"I feel like Mizzou is a very good football team," said Crockett, who is ranked as the 71st running back in the nation by ESPN. "They have all the keys to win."
When asked whether offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz leaving Boise State for North Carolina State was a factor in decommitting from Boise State, Crockett said it wasn't, saying the Broncos' offense is Coach Bryan Harsin's. Missouri did not recruit Crockett under previous Coach Gary Pinkel, but the Tigers' recruitment of him gained steam over the past month.
"It's been really crazy," Crockett said. "I feel like I made the right decision. I feel really good about it."
Hays and Crockett join the SEC, which also featured former Little Rock Christian running back Michael Dyer at Auburn earlier this decade. The two Warriors have been teammates for the past two seasons, but now, they'll be conference rivals.
"He's like, 'See you on the field next year,' " Hays said of Crockett. "It will be cool to see him. It will be a weird experience."
Sports on 02/04/2016