Arkansas' in-state haul in its 2016 national signing class was more about quality than quantity.
Of the 20-member class, four players are from Arkansas, led by Hope defensive lineman McTelvin Agim. Agim, Pulaski Robinson running back T.J. Hammonds, Smackover wide receiver Jordan Jones and Star City defensive lineman Austin Capps make up the state's representation in the class, which Coach Bret Bielema discussed before the school's Signing Day in the Rock event Thursday night at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.
The Razorbacks signed 23 in-state players in Bielema's first three recruiting classes -- eight in 2013, five in 2014 and 10 in 2015. This year's class features the lowest number of players from the state, but Bielema isn't too concerned.
"When I first got here, I was told those numbers in the first two years were out of the norm and that was a high number for Arkansas. That has turned out to be the case," Bielema said. "If they can play and help us win an SEC championship, we're going to find them and we're going to recruit them.
"It all starts right here in the state of Arkansas."
Agim is near the top of the list when it comes to the most highly touted recruits of Bielema's tenure at Arkansas.
Agim, 6-3, 280 pounds, worked out with the Razorbacks in Fayetteville during their Liberty Bowl practices leading up to the Jan. 2 game. He had 77 tackles, including 13 for a loss, 24 sacks, 8 quarterback hurries and 9 pass breakups. He was named the All-Arkansas Preps' defensive player of the year.
"He's incredibly gifted," Bielema said of Agim, a four-star recruit and the nation's No. 3 defensive end prospect as rated by ESPN.com. "He's very, very good with his hands. He listens to everything you say and tries to do it to perfection. He's a really mature young man with great leadership skills. He did a tremendous job of trying to help us recruit the rest of this class. He's that kind of kid."
Hammonds, 5-11, 195, was a four-star recruit by ESPN.com after a 2015 season in which he had 28 all-purpose touchdowns, including 22 rushing. Bielema said the Razorbacks will plan to use Hammonds at running back when he comes to Fayetteville in the summer.
"He's a pretty smart kid and very bright," Bielema said. "We could use him in the slot, use him in the return game, both at kick returner and punt returner. He's a very natural playmaker and very fast."
Three of Arkansas' in-state players are from outside Little Rock -- Agim, Capps and Jones. That's not out of the norm for the Razorbacks, who have brought in defensive lineman Bijhon Jackson (El Dorado) and wide receiver La'Michael Pettway (Nashville) from south Arkansas over the past three years.
"South Arkansas has been real good to us," said Razorbacks tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr., who is the program's primary recruiter in Arkansas. "That's always an area that you always have to be really diligent going through that area because there's always talent. There's always somebody that needs to be on the radar, whether we offer them or somebody you need to be aware of.
"You want it to be an even disbursement across the state. You're going to get some good players from Northwest Arkansas, central Arkansas. You need south Arkansas to be good. You need to have east Arkansas have a player or two. If you get all of that, you're going to have a nice number in the state."
• The Razorbacks announced the addition of five preferred walk-ons. Four of the five walk-ons are from Arkansas, including Little Rock Christian offensive lineman Dylan Hays, Maumelle offensive tackle Tyler Hall, Benton linebacker Ben Brasuell and Greenwood linebacker Grant Morgan. Allen, Texas, kicker Connor Limpert is the other walk-on.
Preferred walk-ons report with the scholarship players for fall camp before classes start. They are not on scholarship but can earn scholarships as they become available.
Bielema said Thursday that he was excited to add Hays, who was a second-team All-Arkansas Preps defensive lineman last season.
"He was right there on the cusp," he said. "He'll join us in some capacity as a scholarship student-athlete in that first year."
Bielema said he has given 15 walk-ons during his tenure at Arkansas scholarships. The walk-on program has been critical for the Razorbacks, he said.
"It gives those guys hope," Bielema said. "They've been some good players for us.
"Walk-ons can erase recruiting mistakes, those guys who were all this, all that, in high school who got all the stars attached to them but couldn't play as well as everybody thought they could."
Sports on 02/05/2016