HOOVER, Ala. — Deatrich Wise and Jeremy Sprinkle both signed with Arkansas in February 2012.
Both were three-star recruits, somewhat under-the-radar signees. Both redshirted their first year in Fayetteville with the program in a state of flux as it transitioned through three head coaches in nine months, going from Bobby Petrino to John L. Smith and eventually Bret Bielema.
Four years after the redshirt seasons, both are set to enter their senior season as graduate students this fall. Both are likely NFL draft picks and will help lead their respective units on the field for the Razorbacks.
Wise and Sprinkle were both at SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala., dressed up in swanky suits alongside Bielema and senior linebacker Brooks Ellis. Their careers have followed similar paths and both are trending up as they enter their final college season, which is why they were chosen to represent the program in Hoover.
Sprinkle caught seven passes for 84 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore while playing behind Hunter Henry and AJ Derby. Derby graduated, which opened up a pathway to more playing time for Sprinkle. He took advantage, becoming a vital part of an offense centered around two-tight end sets with him and Henry.
“When he got there, he was 6-6, 205 pounds,” Bielema said. “If he turned sideways, you couldn't see him. He was skinny as skinny gets. Now he's a 6'6", 250-pound man that's ready to make his mark in tight end play in the SEC and in our team and in our conference and in this country. He can be a Mackey Award winner.”
Last year, Sprinkle caught 27 passes for 389 yards and six touchdowns, the most touchdowns for a tight end in the SEC. With Henry declaring early for the NFL, those numbers will likely skyrocket this season.
“Getting to play with Hunter last season was a great honor,” Sprinkle said. “Just having both of us out there made mismatches for defenses and so it gave us both opportunities. I was able to learn things from him last year to work on my game and apply what I learned to make me stronger.”
Wise’s journey to becoming an All-SEC caliber player was similar. He was a solid backup behind the likes of Trey Flowers his first few years in Fayetteville as he compiled career totals of 29 tackles and five sacks heading into his junior year. But he burst onto the scene last fall. The last four weeks of the season, to be exact. During that span, he became a pass-rushing force, totaling seven sacks after having just one through the first eight games of the year.
When Bielema arrived at Arkansas, Wise was a part of the track team and heavily involved in his fraternity, but wasn’t in a position to make an impact on the football team and didn’t have great grades. Bielema opened a dialogue about focusing more of his time on football, even involving Wise’s parents in the discussion. Wise didn’t participate in track until his GPA improved. He was more dedicated to football.
“The result is he could probably be one of the most premier linemen,” Bielema said.
Wise’s eight sacks in conference play led the SEC a year ago. As a result of the late-season surge, he’s been projected as a first-round draft pick by multiple publications.
“It felt real great,” Wise said of seeing his name on mock draft boards. “When growing up as a child and watching games, it makes for a great feeling to see I could reach that.”
His draft stock will continue to rise if he plays his entire senior season like he finished his junior year. In Hoover, he was asked what the chances were that he could match his 13 career sacks in just his senior year.
“One-hundred percent,” he replied.
Arkansas hopes he can do that and that Sprinkle’s performance, once again, follows suit.