Highly touted Tennessee running back says yes to Hogs

Collierville (Tenn.) St. George running back Chase Hayden poses with his 2015 Tennessee Mr. Football award.
Collierville (Tenn.) St. George running back Chase Hayden poses with his 2015 Tennessee Mr. Football award.

Arkansas landed the oral commitment of highly touted running back Chase Hayden on Sunday night.

He said his relationships with running backs coach Reggie Mitchell and Coach Bret Bielema were key along with a meeting he and his parents had with Bielema during a June 23 visit in Fayetteville.

"I talked to Coach Mitchell pretty much every other day for probably the past three months," said Hayden, who named the Razorbacks his leader after his June visit. "Just the relationship developed with him and also meeting and talking to Coach B for a long time when I visited. That's what really sealed it."

Hayden, 5-11, 185 pounds, 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Collierville (Tenn.) St. George's Independent chose the Razorbacks over more than 15 other scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Missouri, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisville among others.

His father Aaron played running back at Tennessee in 1992-1994. Bielema talked to both parents Saturday night.

"She said he was a fair guy," Hayden said of his mother. "She felt like he was a straight shooter and he really cares for his players."

His mother also praised Mitchell.

"She was impressed with coach Mitchell and the job he's done," Hayden said. "That was probably her biggest factor. She felt real comfortable with him."

Hayden was named Mr. Football and Basketball in Tennessee for Class 2A as a junior. He rushed for 2,625 yards and 37 touchdowns last year and averaged 24.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals while playing guard during basketball season.

He talked to Arkansas basketball assistant coach Scotty Thurman about playing basketball, too.

National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Hayden a 4-star prospect.

"He's not real big, but he's very productive," Lemming said. "He's a slasher with good hands who can create in the open field. [He] could wind up playing running back, wing back or slot receiver. All he does is produce. He's a winner."

He said Bielema and offensive coordinator Dan Enos talked about moving him around in the offense.

"They talked to me about I was a different kind style of running back that they didn't have at the University of Arkansas," he said. "They said coming in and being a different guy. They said I could be a speed back and I could line up on the slot and run routes and they need that."

Hayden becomes Arkansas' No. 17 commitment for the 2017 class. Oral commitments are nonbinding.

-- Richard Davenport

Sports on 07/25/2016

Upcoming Events