Prior to Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech, Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema extended a scholarship offer to one of the better sophomore prospects in the nation, safety Brian Williams, the brother of Hogs running back Rawleigh Williams.
"He offered me and just told me that he is impressed with how I play and handle myself and how he wants me to keep up the good work and not let anyone get in the way," Brian Williams said.
Williams, 6-1, 190 pounds, of Dallas Bishop Dunne, also has scholarship offers from Southern Cal, UCLA, Colorado, Nebraska, TCU, Texas A&M, Baylor, Auburn, Iowa, Missouri and others.
Williams started every game as a freshman for Bishop Dunne last season and recorded 45 tackles and 2 interceptions. Receiving the offer from the Hogs was a special moment, he said.
"It is always great for a college to say they will pay for my education for doing something I love and it being Arkansas, where my brother is enjoying and having success, makes it a little greater," Williams said.
Williams recorded 2 unassisted tackles, a pass breakup and returned an interception 26 yards in a 45-24 season opening victory over Deer Park on Aug. 27. He and the Falcons will host Fayetteville on Sept. 16.
National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Williams as a 4-star prospect.
"Brian is an intelligent football player that has great ball skills," Dallas Bishop Dunne Coach Michael Johnson said. "He has great range that is great in the run game. He can play in the box, but is best when he is playing in space. He developed his body during the summer.
"Brian is great young man that comes from a great family that understands football. He will be the No. 1 safety in the country."
Stuck around to visit
Junior defensive end Daniel Parker Jr. and Blue Springs, Mo., lost a tough game to Fayetteville, 26-21, on Friday, but he took advantage of being in town to visit Arkansas on Saturday morning and was won over by the recruiting staff.
"They made me feel like Arkansas is a place I should go to," Parker said.
Parker, 6-3, 260, 4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash, committed to Missouri on July 24, but recently reopened his recruitment to explore other options. He has scholarship offers from Missouri, Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska.
His parents and grandmother accompanied him on the visit to Arkansas. They weren't able to stay for the Razorbacks' game against Louisiana Tech, but he said he saw enough that morning to know about the Arkansas fans.
"They liked it," Parker said of his parents' reaction to the visit "They liked the environment on game day. They have a lot of loyal fans."
He also said he was warmly greeted by Hogs fans at a couple of restaurants around town.
"There were a bunch of people around the community that greeted me and asked how I was doing and how my day went and asked what school I went to," Parker said. "They just made me feel welcomed."
Parker, who has a 3.53 grade point average, appears to be mature beyond his years and has obviously impressed Kelly Donahue, who has been the head coach at Blue Springs since 2000.
"I haven't been a team captain this year, but last year I was the first sophomore to ever be a captain under Coach Kelly Donahue," Parker said. "It was for a playoff game."
Parker said he would embrace an offer from Arkansas.
"I would definitely consider it, but I don't plan on making my decision anytime soon," he said.
Adding strength
Blytheville junior Larry Clark has the physical tools college coaches are looking for in an offensive lineman and several have taken notice.
Clark, 6-5, 310, recently received a scholarship offer from Kansas and is drawing interest from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Florida State.
Deerick Smith, an assistant coach at Blytheville, said Clark added about 30-40 pounds to his frame since last year.
"He has great pad level .... a lot of kids that are taller, they move awkwardly a little bit at a young age, but he moves fluidly," Smith said. "He has an aggressive attitude on the field. He's got violent hands and great feet."
Smith said Clark is a mild-mannered young man off the field, but not so on.
"He's a great kid, smiling and happy off the field. But once we get on the field and puts those pads on, he flips the switch and he's ready to go," Smith said.
As a sophmore, Clark graded out at 86 percent and had 67 knockdown blockss. He graded at 91 percent and had 3 knockdowns in Friday's 40-6 victory over Osceola.
Clark made all 36 summer workouts and added more than 100 pounds to his lifts. He has a 275-pound bench press, a 275-pound power clean, a 425-pound squat and a 520-pound dead lift.
"He was dominate last year and he wasn't weak by any means, but he wasn't as strong as he is now," Smith said. "I'm excited to see how that's going to carry over."
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 09/06/2016