Recruiting Guy

Hogs to make push on defensive teammates

Thomas Johnston
Thomas Johnston

Two of Arkansas' main defensive targets, linebacker Thomas Johnston and teammate defensive end Justin Thomas will arrive in Fayetteville around noon today for their official visits for the Ole Miss game weekend.

Johnston, 6-2, 220, 4.78 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Spanish Fort (Ala.) High School has scholarship offers from schools including Arkansas, Michigan State, Arizona State, Auburn, Clemson, Oregon, Iowa, LSU, Louisville and North Carolina State.

A big part of Johnston's desire to visit Arkansas came from a June trip to Fayetteville.

"My last visit was great," Johnston said. "I just really want to take another look at it. I had an awesome time on my first visit. I just want to get around the players more and just see how the game day atmosphere as well."

Johnston's parents Tyler and Trisha will accompany him on the visit. He had recorded 87 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 3 quarterback hurries, 2 pass breakups and a forced fumble going into Thursday's game against Saraland.

With three games left in the regular season, he needs more than 140 tackles this season to become the all-time leading tackler in Alabama. Coach Bret Bielema has made it known that Johnston is wanted in Fayetteville.

"I've talked to Coach B almost everyday for a month and a half," said Johnston, who's lead recruiter is defensive line coach Rory Segrest. "I'll text him and call him just randomly after practice one day and to catch up and talk and see how he feels about the upcoming game."

"I don't talk to another head coach as much, so that's a plus."

Johnston's father is childhood friends with Dean Peevy, who played defensive back for the Hogs from 1990-1994.

Thomas, 6-5, 265 pounds is committed to LSU, but wants to check out Arkansas after hearing good things from Johnston.

He has scholarship offers from schools including Arkansas, Alabama, LSU, Nebraska, Tennessee, Iowa State, South Carolina. Johnston and Thomas are close friends and have discussed playing at the same school.

"We've always talked about it," Johnston said. "It's been a topic for the past two to three years. We've been talking about it a lot lately and being able to room together and have the ability to play together. It would be awesome."

Thomas' mother, Syreeta, and stepfather, Atlas, will make the trip, too.

The visit to Arkansas will be Johnston's first of five official visits before making his decision. Michigan State and Arizona State are his latest offers.

"They're wanting me to take an official to the Michigan or Ohio State weekend," Johnston said of Michigan State. "Arizona State wants to fly me out in January. Iowa wants to fly me out. LSU wants me to come. I hesitate on where I want to go for my fifth one."

He was impressed that Bielema and his wife Jen accompanied center Frank Ragnow back home to Minnesota to be with his family after his father's passing following the Alcorn State game.

"I believe Coach Bielema is one of the best coaches in the SEC, not just on the field, but off the field," Johnston said. "He's a great guy. He flew to Minnesota with his O-lineman because of his father's death. There's not many coaches would do that in a middle of a big week before playing Bama. That said a lot about him as a person."

Johnston said Bielema is pushing for his commitment.

"He's starting to put pressure on me to commit," Johnston said. "He's telling me every once in a while he has one linebacker spot open and he wants it to be me. I look at that as [a] business decision I need to make."

Gafford, Hall visiting

Two of Arkansas' three basketball commitments for the 2017 class will make their official visits to this weekend.

Power forward Daniel Gafford, 6-11, 223 pounds of El Dorado and swingman Darious Hall, 6-6, 210 of Mills are expected to arrive today to start their official visits.

Guard Khalil Garland, 6-6, 190, of Little Rock Parkview will take his visit Nov.5 when the football Hogs take on Florida.

ESPN rates the Hogs' basketball class as the No. 7 best in the nation for the 2017 class.

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 10/14/2016

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