Fort Smith Southside sophomore linebacker Darin Davenport visited Arkansas on Saturday and learned that tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. thinks highly of him.
“Coach Lunney said he was wanting me to go to their summer football camp and that he was very impressed with my film,” Davenport said. “He also was saying that I was one of the best in-state linebackers he's seen in about five years.”
Davenport, 6-2, 222 pounds recorded 64 tackles, a sack, an interception and a recovered fumble in four and half games before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury. He called the visit great.
“I loved it,” Davenport said. “Everything was very nice about the facility and I'm excited to get more in depth in the recruiting process with them.”
He plans to make a return trip to Fayetteville for the spring game on Saturday. Davenport’s knee is progressing well.
“It's doing great,” Davenport said. “I got released a couple weeks ago, so I've started back in practice and it's holding up really well.”
A three-sport athlete, Davenport also participates in basketball and baseball. Southside Coach Jeff Williams calls him the best linebacker he’s coached in 12 years at the school.
Davenport said he’s getting closer to being 100 percent healthily.
“At the moment, I would say about 90 percent because there's still a little deficit in the strength of my quad,” he said.